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No. 1109 NEW YORK, DECEMBER 31, 1926 P r ic e 8 Cents '" Ho MAKE MONEY. -"\Vhoa!" roared T o m tugging at t h e reins a.nu mamtaimng his balance with great '.titllculty. "Whoa, you beast!" He manage d to swerve the frightened animal away from the i mperilled girl and she aroee in time to escape further danger.

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FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. IBBued Weekly-Subscription price, $4.5 0 per year. Canada, $4.50; Foreign, $5.00. Westbury Publishing C o Ine.,. Publlshere, 168 West 23d Street, New York, N. Y. Entered as Second-Claes Matter, October 4 1911, at the Poet -Office at New York, N. Y., under t h e Act o f March 3, 1879 No. 1109 NEW YORK, DECEMBER 31, 1926 P rice 8 Cents. TRADING TOM OR; THE BOY WHO BOUGHT EVERYTHING B y A SELF-MADE MAN CHAPTER 1.-A Smash-Up On The Road. "Anything to sell, ma'am?" asked a stalwart, shrewd-looking lad of about eighteen, bringing his rig-a sorrel horse, and a light wagon filled with various kinds of truck and a small collection of new tin-ware-to a stop before a small cottage facing on the country road on the outskirts of the village of Woodland. "I'll buy any thing from a da needle to :-. sheet anchor, and I'll pay spot cash. "Dear me," said the woman of the house, "do you really buy anything?" "Anything and everything, ma'am, that has any value. I'm not in business for the fun of the thing, but to make a living What I buy I sell again at a small profit." "Well, well; you're an honest looking boy. You don't look as if you'd cheat a person like some people do. "Cheat, ma'am! I hope not. I have found that honestly is the best policy, though an insurance policy is a pretty good thing to have in the house." "What might be your name?" "It might by Smith, but it ain't. It's just plain Tom Trevor, otherwise known as Trading Tom." "Trading Tom!" ejaculated the woman. "Yes, ma'am. Any kind of a trade goes with me. If you've got anything in the house that you don't want, and I can make use of it, I'll name a figure on it, and you can suit yourself about parting with it. You can have the cash, or, if you fancy any of the tinware I've got in the wagon-brand new and up-to-date stuff it i s -you can pick it out and I'll name a figure on that. TJrn difference, one way or the other, we'll settle in the coin of the republic. That's fair, isn't it, ma'am?" The woman looked into the wagon and saw several things that would fill a long felt want in her humble home, but she wasn't sure she'd be able to make a tiade for them. "I've got a flat-topped bu1eau that belonged to my husband's mother once upon a time. If you think--" "I'll look at it, ma'am,'' interrupted Tom, in a business-like tone, jumping to the ground and hitching his horse to the white picket fence. She led the way u p to the garret a n d pointed the article, which was of ancient vintage, out to him. There were three wide drawers in it, and Tom pulled them out in turn. He saw that it was made of Spanish mahogany, but as the thing stood there wasn't any particular demand for such things. "Well, I guess fifty centS' is about the limit, and it might prove a white elephant at that,'' he said, looking at the woman. "Why, I've heard that it cost more'n fifty dollars." "I've no doubt it did when it was new and in style, which was long before I was born. Those glass handles, ma'am, aren't in use any more. They'd have to come off and brass ones put in their place. Then the wood would have to be scraped and a coat of French polish ap plied or nobody would l ook at it. Some other tinkering wou ld have to be done to make it kind of shipshape. All that would take time and a little money, and when !t was fixed up it would have to be sold cheap to make it move quickly." "I guess you make out pretty well, young man, for you're a slick talker." "Talking, ma'am, is part of my business, and comes natural to me. Is it a trade? I don't believe you'll get a better offer." "Seems like giving it away," replied the woman, reluctantly; "but I ain't got no use for it and it takes up room." "Anything else you want to get rid of, ma'am? Old magazines or newspapers that lumber up your place? I'll relieve you of them at a nickel a hundred pounds. It isn't a princely sum, I'll admit, but junk men aren't paying as much as they did for waste paper." Tom had spied a pile of old weekly story papers thrown carelessly against one of the unfini shed walls, and was prepared to take them if she said the word. The woman didn't want them any longer, so Tom said he'd carry them down and weigh them. "What else, ma'am?" "I suppose you ain't got no use for that parrot cage?" she said doubtfully, pointing at the ar ticle, which was covered with dust: "Hardly, ma'am; but we'll call it a dime at a chance That was a ll the woman had to sell, so 1om

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2 TRADING TOM carried the bureau down and loaded it into his wagon, the paper following with the bird cage, and Tom announced that there was seve nty-five cents coming to her. Then the woman began to dicker for the tinware she wanted. The things came to eighty cents, and Tom let the odd nickel go, which pleased the woman greatly, for she felt she had the best of the trade. Tom noticed a pan of freshly made doughnuts, and the sight made his mouth water. "Those are bang-up doughl)uts, ma'am," he said. "In all my travels I don't think I've seen the equal of those doughnuts. I guess you must be an uncommon fire cook, ma'am." The woman felt greatly flattered at the praise the boy bestowed on the doughnuts, and hastened to present him with half a dozen. "I'll pay for them, ma'am," he said, intending to give her a nickel. The woman wouldn't listen to that, but told him he was welcome to them. A minute or two later he was driving toward the village with half a doughnut between his teeth. Presently he heard the "honk-honk!" of an automobile behind him. The sorrel horse heard it, too, pricked up his ears and grew restive. As the noise grew louder the horse showed signs of fright. Whiz! went by the auto with an ear-piercing screech of its horn. That was the last straw with the animal. He shied, then sprang forward and got a gait on. "Wboa, January!" shouted Tom, standing up and pulling on the reins, as the stuff in the wagon commenced to dance and jingle. The horse paid no attention, but continued his headlong career down the road. Tom saw that he couldn't stop him for the present, but he made the animal's flight as hard as possible by tugging on -the reins with all his might. As they flew around a turn in the road, Tom saw a couple of girls walking together right ahead of him. He yelled lustily to att:ract their attention, but the clattering of the horse's hoofs and rattling of the wagon had already warned them of danger in the rear. They turned around in a startled way and be held the runaway vehicle bearing down on them like a We stern cyclone. The girls screamed with terror and both made a spring for the nearest hedge. "Whoa!" roared Tom, tugging at the reins and maintaining his balance with great difficulty. "Whoa, you beast!" Crash-! The forward axle gave way close to the wheel and Tom only saved himself from a bad fall by springing forward on the horse's flanks. Clinging to hi s precarious hold like a leech, he worked forward and clapped both hands over the animal's eyes. The horse lo s t his gait, stumbled and went down, Tom alighting a s nimbly as a circus rider. The animal was on his feet in a moment, but his young owner now had liim under subjection, and speaking soohingly to him, and patting his nose, gradually quieted him down. Moving the rig closer to the fence Tom tied the reins to a post and then gazed ruefully at the wreck of the wagon, which was a hired one, and at the various bits of his property scattered back along the road. CHAPTER IL-Introduces the Van and Chick Slivers. The two girls, now recovered from their scare, approached on the other side of the road. Tom bowed politely to them. "Sorry that I frightened you, young ladie s," he said, with a smile that attracted their favorable notice; "but I did the best I could not to run you down." "I am sure you did, and we don't blame you for the shock we got," said the tallest one. "It's too bad you have met with an accident. What are you going to do?" "Make the best of a bad situation," replied Tom. "Things can't always be expected to go smooth in this life." "I've seen men, and boys, too, swear and behave very ugly over a mishap not as bad as this. Really, you are behaving very nicely, and we are very sorry for you." "Thank you for your sympathy, miss--" "Hutchings. My name is Alice Hutchings." "Pleased to i .. ake your acquaintance, Miss Hutchings," said Tom, bowing. "This is my friend, Annie Carr." "Glad to know you, Miss Carr. Now I will introduce myself. My name is Tom Trevor, but I'm known to the public as Trading Tom. "Are you a traveling pedlar?" asked Miss Hutchings. "Not exactly, miss. I'm a traveling trader. I buy everything of any value that people want to get rid of, and I pay either in cas h or in such merchandise as I carry around with me." "But you can't carry much in that wagon," she said. "No, I only hired that for the day of the blacksmith in the village yonder who is fixing a new tire on one of the wheels of my van." "Oh, then you have a larger wagon?" "Yes; quite a good size box vehicle. It once be loI)ged to a traveling circus. The two horses also belonged to the circus, though they were not performing animals. They are called January and February. That's January there." "January and February!" laughed Mi ss Hutchings. "What singular names for horses. "Kind of different from the ordinary, I'll ad-. mit; but I didn't christen them, and as they answer to their names, I couldn't very well change them." "Well, we won't detain you any longer, Mr. Trevor," said the girl. "You've got to pick your things up. If you will permit, we'll be glad to help you." "Oh, I wouldn't think of troubling you young ladies. I thank you very much for your kind offer, but it won't take me but a few minutes. Only the lighter articles bounced out of the wa gon," replied Tom. "You live in the village, I suppose?" "Miss Carr does," replied Miss Hutchings. "I live in Exeter, and am visiting her for a little while. "I shall visit Exeter about the end of the week;

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TRADING TOM but I suppose I won't have the pleasure of meeting you there, even if you should be home at that time. It is quite a larg_e town." "I don't know. I am going home on Friday. Should you have the opportunity, I should be pleased to have you call at my home. I live at No. 254 Jefferson street." "Thank you for the invitation, Miss Hutchings. I shall lay over Sunday in Exeter, and it would give me great pleasure to pay you a brief visit," said Tom. The young ladies bowed and walked on while Tom started to pick up the stuff that had tum-bled out of hi's wagon. He then took the liberty of aplJropriating a fence rail which he roped securely to the broken axle, so as to hold the end of the wagon up that he might proceed to the village. Unhitching January from the post, he orderedhim to "Git up," and walked beside him with the reins in his hands. In the course of fifteen minutes he came in sight of the blacksmith shop near which his van stood. The van was a highly ornamented affair, red and gold being the predominating colors, but the gilt was badly tarnished, and the paint and varnish greatly faded, from long exposure to the elements, so that it no longer attracted the eye. A canvas sign was tacked on each side of the van bearing the following inscription: "TRADING TOM-The Boy Who Buys Everything. Has for sale Popper's World-Renowned Liniment, for Man and Beast. A guaranteed Cure for Burns, Sprains, Bruises, Lameness, etc. Very efficacious for Lumbago and Rheumatism. Small bottles, 25 cents. Large bottles, 50 cents. On the driver's seat, dozing in the sunshine, reclined a small freckled-faced youth of perhaps fifteen years. His name was Chick Slivers, and he was Tom's companion and general assistant. Chick was a typical city youth whom Tom had picked up in Chicago. The young trader had rescued Slivers from the clutches of a drunken stepfather who was living on the lad's earnings as a bootblack and lambasting him whenever his receipts were not satisfactory. Tom carried a mattress and blankets in the van, so that boss and assistant slept together and saved the price of lodgings. Sometimes they took their meals at a cheap hotel, sometimes at a restaurant, and often at a farmhouse along their route. The young trader brought his iig to a halt before the blacksmith's door. "Hello!" exclaimed the disciple of Vulcan, coming forward and looking at the broken axle. "Bee n having a breakdown, I see." "Sorry to say I have. My horse took fright at a red auto and made a break of it. If you'll assess the damage I'll pay for it." "Considering the circumstances, I guess I won't charge you anything, young man. You can pay me for putting on that tire, and we'll let it go at that," said the blacksmith, who was a genial man and liberal in his views. Tom thanked him and inquired how his as sistant had put in his time while he was away. "He helped me quite a bit around the shop and I took him home to dinner with me. I live in that cottage across th-e way. He sold several bot tles of your liniment to farmers who were attracted by the sign on your van. I reckon I'll take a fifty-cent bottle myself," and the man ten dered Tom the price. "Keep your money," said Tom. "l'
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4 TRADING TOM arrived when he was taken down with pneu II)Onia and was carried to ,.a big hospital. He rapidly grew bad and when the doctor told him that he couldn't recover he willed his traveling outfit to me, as well as all his money, which wasn't a whole lot. He died, and after he was buried I decided to try my luck as a trader on the same lines he followed, s o here I am, and now you have the whole story." Tom and his host talked for an hour longer, then the blacksmith said he guess ed it was time for him to go to bed. The boys bade him good-night and, going across to the van, turned in thems elves, leaving the door s wide op e n, as the night was quite warm, CHAPTER III.-A Pair Of Undesirable Citizens. Whether it was the warmth of the night, or be cause he eaten more than customary for supper, Chick Slivers, who usually slept like a top, did not rest comfortably. His slumbers were disturbed by unpleasant visions of his former hard life in Chicago, and about midnight he woke up. The night was still, save 'for the hum of nocturnal insects and the monotonous croak of frogs. He hadn't more than got his eyes open before he was aware that two men were talking close to the open doors of the van. "There ain't no use of disturbin' these chaps," said one of the men. "They're only boys, and cheap skates at that. I reckon a ten-dollar bill would be a fortin to 'em." "Oh, I don't know," replied his companion "A chap who announces that he's ready to buy anything must have money around him, and money is what you and me want about this time." "Ho! That's a big bluff, that sign. I know what them tradin' Toms are. They never give nothin' for what they git, that is, nothin' worth mentionin'. Even then, they don't pay no cash, but trade off tinware and knicknacks for what they pick up. The only time they ever have money is when they reach some city and git rid of the stuff they bought. Then they blow most of it in over some bar. I know the hull caboodle of them chaps. I never know'd one yet it paid to go through." "That's all right, Barney, but this chap sells patent medicine. He ought to have some cash in his jeans." "What's the u s e of meddlin' with small fry when we've got somethin' better on hand? When a feller i& a high-toner like you and me, we ought to stick to our line, 'cept when it pays to do the sneak act. I'll bet these here chaps are as crooked in their trade as we are in ours. I never know'd a tradin' Tom yet who wouldn't pick up every thi:n' he could get his hands o'.ll. Now this crib we've arranged to crack tonight is a likely sort of place to make a haul. The family is well fixed from the looks of the place, and it ain't a hard pr:oposition to get around. We kin easily force .tne of the cellar windows, and once inside we Dught to be able to clean the crib out as slick as a whistle." "I ain't got no fault to find with you!' argu ment, Barney, but as it's a bit too early yet to iegin opel'ations that quarter-for it ain't more'n half-past twelve-I thought we might just as well put in part of the time goin' through this outfit, since all i s fish that comes to our net." Although one of the rascals appeared to be opposed to molesting the occupants of the van, Chick wasn't sure but his companion might talk him into it. He cautiously altered his position by degrees until he got a full view of the doorway. Then he located the exact position of the crooks. They were standing just out of sight at the corner of the vehicle near one of the rear wheels. There was a smell of tobacco in the air, which showed that one, or both of them, was s moking. Chick decided to arouse Tom. Placing one hand over his month he shook him into wakefulness. "Don't make a sound," Chick whispered in hi s ear. "Dere are two crooks outside near de door, and I ain't sure but dey may try to rob us. Jest listen to dem talkin'." Tom was on to the situation at once. "How long have they been there?" he asked his companion in a low tone. "Dunno. I woke up about five minutes ago and heard dem talkin'." -"What makes you think they're crook s?h "I heard dem say dey was goin' to break inter some house 'round here ter-night and clean it out," replied "If they intend to do that there isn't much doubt as to what kind of men they are," said Tom. "One of dem wants to go t'rough us fust, as he says it's too soon to tackle the house; but de other chap doesn't think we're wort' robbin'." Tom chuckled. Then he reached under the head of the mattress and pulled out a navy revolver. "If they meddle with us they'll get a warm reception,'' he said, grimly "Yer t'ink we're asleep," whispered Chick. "De chap what objects to tacklin' us said that if we had anyt'in' to lose we wouldn't have de door s wide open as an invitation for anybody to step in and pinch our property." "Seems reasonable. They wouldn't find much on us if they did go through our clothes. They'd have a nice job trying to find my funds, I'll bet, even if I gave them permission to hunt around." The boys stopped talking and gave their attention to the two rascals outside. After discussing the project they had in view of robbing one of the best houses in the village, one of them consulted a silver watch he carried and announced that it was one o'clock. "It's safe enough now, I guess, to move on the crib,'' he said. "These country folks generally go to bed early. The folks at the house ought to be sound asleep by this time. Those cellar window s are a great institution. They coine in mighty handy for us. A j immy'll open one in no time at au, and then all we've got to do is to lower our selve s inside and we're in the house." "We'll keep our weather eye liftfo' just the same, for we can't afford to take no chances,'' said the man called Barney "Of course we can't. Well, if you're ready we'll make a start." Barney was ready. The men stooped, picked up their carpet-bag and walked off down the road leading into the main street of the village.

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TRADING TOM 5 CHAPTER IV.-"Hands Up!" The moment the pair of rascals made a move the boys sat up and looked after them. "Chick, we've got to follow them," said Tom, shoving the revolver into one of the pockets of his jacket. "What for?" asked Slivers in some surprise. He was pleased that the men had gone off without interfering with the van, and did not see the necessity of butting into their business. "We must save that house from being robbed." "And maybe get into a heap of trouble doin' it," replied Chick, who wasn't in favor of his companion's suggestion. "It's our duty to try and prevent those rascals from accomplishing their purpose. However, if you don't want to come with me you can stay and watch the van. I'll undertake the matter alone." "No you don't," replied Chick, decidedly. "If you're bound to foller dem chaps I'm wi' you." "Then come on before we lose sight of them." They sprang out of the van and Tom lock
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6 TRADING TOM "Better get it. I'll get mine from my assistant, then I'll climb up on this porch and help you out all I can." Tom rushed back to where Chick crouched on guard over the cellar window. "Hand me the shooter. llm going into the house by way of the porch and 'the second-story window. Look around the yard and get a piece of wood you can use for a club. Should one of the rascals stick his head ut of that window you give him a rap. The advantage is all on your llde." While Chick went looking for a piece of wood suitable for the purpose in view Tom returned to the front of the building, climbed the porch with the agility of a monkey, and presented him self at the window, where Mr. Carr stood revolver in hand, waiting for him. The cashier helped him in at the window and then asked him what plan he thought would be the best to adopt. Tom kicked off his shoes first. "Follow me, Mr. Carr. Perhaps we can catch these rascals off their guard and capture them. I suppose you have many articles of value down stairs to attract their attention?" "Yes. My silverware is locked in a cupboard in the dining-room. No doubt they have tools that will enable them to get at it easily," said the cashier. Tom opened the door leading out oi. the first landing, and, going to the head of the stairs, lis tened for sounds that would indicate the pres ence of the crooks below. All was silent, how ever. Taking the lead, he started cautiously downstairs, holding his revolver ready for in stant action, and followed by Mr. Ca.rr. "Can we reach the library from this hall?" Tom asked the owner of the h o use. "No; we'll have to pass through the parlor to reach it." "How do you reach the dining-room from here?" asked Tom. "That door there opens into it." Tom tiptoed over to it and opened it cau tiously. There was no light there nor any sign of the thieves. "I suppose there i s a door opening out of the cellar?" said the boy. "Yes, into the kitchen.'' "ls it kept locked?" "There is a strong bolt on it." "I don't hear them, so I think they haven't forced their way out of the cellar yet. Let's look into the parlor and library. If they're not there you can telephone for the con stable." Tom entered the parlor. It was dark and ten antless. He and Mr. Carr then passed on to the library. There was no one there, so the cashier walked over to the telephone. "I'm going into the kitchen, Mr. Carr. Is it at the back of the dining-room?" "Yes. You'll reach it through the pantry passage." Tom hurried away. Opening a door on the farther side he looked into a narrow passage. At the fa1ther end was the kitchen door, and Tom opened it with due caution. The thieves were not there, but Tom heard the sound of a small saw at a door which evidently led into the cellar. The door had given the crooks a great deal more trouble than they had anticipated. They failed to push back the bolt with their in struments because the bolt wa.s a strong one, and fitted snugly into its socket. They wasted near ly half an hour over it, and then had to get out a cente1-bit and bore a number of holes around Then Ba1ney inserted a thin steel saw and proceeded to cut from hole to hole. The job was about completed when Tom appea1ed on the scene. He saw a lamp standing on a table. Striking a match, and shading the glare with his jacket, he lighted the lamp and turned it low. '.Chen he waited, revolver cocked, ready for busi ness. Presently the piece of wood to which the bolt was attached fell out on the floor, the crooks pushed the door open and entered the kitchen. Tom at once turned up the light and covered them with his revolver. "Hands up, both of you, or I'll fill you full of hole s !" he cried in a tone of determination. The two rascals started back aghast. CHAPTER V.-Tom And The Two Crooks .. "Throw up your hands, I say," repeated Tom. Although they saw that they were opposed only by a boy, his resolute demeanor and the cocked revolver intimidated them. So they raised their hands and muttered im precations under thefr breath. "Back up against that wall," ordered Tom. The crooks backed up against the wall and did not dare lower their hands. "Can't we square this thing somehow?'1 asked Snuggs, persuasively. "I guess not. You've broken into this house to rob it. You first forced one of the cellar windows and then you forced that door. That's evidence enough of your intentions, isn't it?" At that moment Mr. Carr stuck his head in at the door and was rather astonished at the scene he beheld. It looked dramatic to his eyes-Tom holding the two rascals at bay with his revolver. Tom heaTd the cashier as he stepped into the room, but he didn't dare take his eyes off the crooks. "Is that you, Mr. Carr?" he asked "Yes. I see you've got the rascals cornered. You're a brave young fellow," replied the cashier. "Did you reach the con stable all right, sir?" "Yes. He's coming right over with help.'' "Open the kitchen door and call my assistant in here, will you, Mr. Carr?" "Certainly," replied the gentleman, and in a few moments Chick was in the room. "Have you a piece of clothes-line handy that we can use for tying these men?" asked Tom. The cashier got a long piece. "Now, Chick," said Tom, "just search the pock ets of those chaps and see if they have any wea pons. If they're a couple of unfortunate chaps, as they claim to be, they won't be armed; but if they're profess ional crooks they probably will be." Tom warned the fellows not to make any resistance, as he didn't intend to take any chances with them, so they submitted with very bad grace to be searched by Chick. A revolver was found in the hip pocket of each, and in addition Snuggs had a small dirk and a slung-shot,

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TRADING TOM 7 "That's quite an arsenal for a pair of unfortunates to carry around,'' said Tom, in a sarcastic tone. "What excuse have you for doing it?" Don't you know that it's against the law to carry con c ealed weapons?" Neither Snuggs nor Barney made any reply. They simply glared at Tom in no friendly way. It would probably have gone hard with the boys if they could have got the upper hand on him for a few minutes. Tom told Chick to bind their hands behind their backs, and they had to allow the operation to be performed, for they could see that the young trader meant business. "Hand them chairs, C hick, so they can sit down,'' said Tom. "They might as well be comfortable till the constable comes and takes cha1ge of them." "You'd better let us go, young fellow,'' sai
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8 TRADING TOM smith across to his house and were soon seated The constable and his prisoners had not yet arat the breakfast table with a bountiful sprnad rived, and their appearance was impatiently before them. Then Tom between bits related the awaited by the crowd. When Tom and Chick enevents of the night to the blacksmith and his wife. tered the room Mr. Carr, who was looking for They were amazed. at the incident, for such a them, walked over, shook them by the hand, and thing as a burglary in Woodland was as rare as conducted them to seats. That was the signal for hen's teeth. the spectators to crane their necks for a good view "You are certainly a nervy and resolute young of the boy who had captured the robbers. Tom chap," said the blacksmith. "The cashier's house and Chick were hardly more than seated when would no doubt have been cleaned out of valuables the constable came in with the two crooks, and ibut for you." their appearance took attention off the boys. The "I guess they'd have got away with the goods clerk opened the court as the magistrate entered all right if they hadn't made the mistake of stop-from his private office and took his seat behind a ping beside my van and discussing their plans. raised flat-top desk. The charge against the rasOne of them wanted to go through our clothes, cals was read and they were asked whether they and probably the van as well, but the other didn't were guilty or not guilty. think we were worth the trouble," laughed Tom. They pleaded not guilty in sullen tones. The "Had they tried it on they'd have got more than magistrate, who acted as public prosecutor, called they bargained for in the shape of a bullet in Mr. Carr to the witness chair. He proceeded to their hides. I'm always prepared for hard char-tell how he had been aroused from his sleep by acters who attempt to molest Chick and me, the pattering of gravel against one of the winwhether they be tramps or what not." dows of his bedroom, and how on going to the win"When you go to the magistrate's office this dow he saw a boy below, who, on being questioned morning you'll find you have made a reputation in as to his presence and actions, said that his name the village, for by that time most everybody in was Tom Trevor, and that he was a stranger in Woodland will have heard how you caught the two the village. He then narrated in substance the burglars at Mr. Carr's home. The magistrate is conversation which had taken place between him bound to compliment you, and no doubt Mr. Carr and the boy trader with reference to the preswill reward you handsomely." ence of burglars. in the house. He told how Tom "Oh, we're not looking for any reward. We are had climbed up to the room; how they had gone satisfied with having done our duty to the comdown stairs on a tour of investigation, without munity." results; how Tom had left him at the telephone "Well, it's lucky for Mr. Carr that you were in in the library, and how when he subsequently the neighborhood. I have no doubt had the burwent in search of the boy he had found him in the glars been successful his loss would have been kitchen standing over the burglars with his reconsiderable." volver. After breakfast Tom got the bureau out, re-moved the old-fashioned glass handles and treated The magistrate asked him a few questions and then called on Tom Trevor. The chief interest it to a first coat Of polish, which made it look a centered in the boy's testimony, for everybody was whole lot different to what it had been when it h L h t d d anxious to hear how he had managed single-came into is possession. ater on e m en e handed to catch the crooks. Tom told his story to buy suftable brass handles and put them on the drawers to give it a modern appearance and concisely and directly to the point. He showed no make it saleable at a fair price. As the polish disposition to make himself out as a great hero. wasn't dry when the time came for Tom and He simply confined himself to facts, and made Chick to go to the magistrate's office, the young those facts perfectly dear. The magistrltte a s ked trader got permission from the blacksmith to him one or two questions, and then Chick took take it over and leave it on his back porch out of his place. He had little to tell, as he had only harm's way. taken a secondary part in the affair. The last When Tom and Chick reached the magistrate's witness was Constable Brown, and his testimony d d f chiefly concerned what he saw when he reached office they found a big crow on the outsi e, or the Carr home with his assistants. The magis'the news Of the attempted robbery of Mr. Carr's trate then asked the prisoners if they had anyhouse had circulated all over the village by that thing to say in their own behalf. They had nothtime, and curiosity was on tiptoe to see the buring to say. glars. They were represented as desperate fellows, who had been armed with revolvers at the Indeed the strong evidence against them, and time of their capture, and the villagers were just the presence in court of their kit of housebreaking as anxious to see the boy who had caught them tools, left them no loophole to crawl out at. The unassisted. The moment Tom and Chick ap-magistrate therefore remanded them for trial at peared they became the focus of all eyes. They Exeter, the county seat, and they were taken there needed no introduction, for everybody seemed to that afternoon and locked up in the county jail. recognize Tom at once as the hero of the occasion. As Tom and Chick were not residents of the He looked like a boy of nerve and resolution, who county, the magistrate said it would be necessary would just as soon tackle a burglar as not. The for them to furnish bonds for their appearance big outer office where the magistrate held court as witnesses at Exeter when the trial came on. when it was necessary was jammed to the doors, "Suppose we can't furnish bonds, what then?'' and it was impossible for the boys to get in by asked Tom. the main entrance. A villager, seeing their di"I will have to give you in charge of the conlemma, volunteered to pilot them around to the stable, who will then become responsible for your rear, where a door admitted them to the railed-in appearance," replied the magistrate. enclosure reserved for those whose presence was "Can't you take our promise to appear? It ;required in the court. won't pay me to have to lay over in this village

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t TRADING TOM 9 for a month or two. I couldn't afford it," remonstrated Tom. "The law gives me no alternative. Perhaps Mr. Carr w ho is unde:r; great obligations to you for the part you have played in this affair, will make himself responsible for your appearance in the Exete r court at the proper time." "I w ill do that, your honor," said the cashier, jumping up. "I will sign their bonds, and offer my hou s e and ground as security." "Very well, Mr. Carr. I accept you. My clerk will prepare the bonds at once, and a s soon as you have signed them these boys may depart," said the magistrate. Half an hour later Mr. Carr and the two boys walked out of the court-room, and found a con sid erable cro w d of the curious on the walk out sid e. "You will both come to my house to dinner, where you aree xpected,'' said the cashier Chick to this part of the programme, and was finally allo w ed to return to the van, where h e was taken to dinner at the blacksmith's hou se Tom accompanied Mr. Carr to his home, and was duly presented to Mrs. Carr, Annie Carr and Alice Hutchings, and received a warm greeting from all three. CHAPTER VIL-Tom As An Honored Guest. "This i s an unexpected pleasure, Mr. Trevor," laughed Miss Hutchings when the two girls got Tom to themselves for a few minutes while waiting for dinner to be announced. "Neither Annie nor I had any idea we s hould see you so soon again." "It's the unexpected that always happens," re plied Tom, with a smile "It seems so It appears that you have made quite a hero of yourself since we saw you out on the county road." "You mean in reference to the burglar epi sode?" "Certainly. You have placed Annie and her parents under great obligations by your timely appe a rance on the sc e ne, and your plucky conduct afterward." "I hop e they won't lo s e any sleep over the mat ter,'' chu ckle d Tom. "I didn't do any more than a f e llo w ought to have done in my place." "And jus t to think Annie and I slept through it a ll, and s o did Mrs Carr. We knew nothing about the hou se having b ee n vi site d by thieves until M r Carr told u s at the breakfast table this morning. W h e n h e s a id you were the one who s a ve d his pro p erty, and captured the r a s cal s as well, we we r e surprise d Were w e not, Annie ?" "I should say so,'' answered Miss Carr, with a glance of admiration at Tom. "Had w e known that burglars were in the house I'm afraid w e should have been dreadfully alarmed,'' said Miss Hutchings "I believe I should have fainted," said Miss Carr. "It was fortunate, then, that you did not know," replied Tom. "You must be awfully brave to face those men, and they were armed, too, Mr. Carr said," remarked Mi s s Hutchings. "I was also armed, you know." "But there were two men against you." "I took them off their guard and got .. the drop on them. That put them in my power and I let them see that I meant business, so they didn't dare take any chances. It is well for them that they made no attempt to draw their weapons. Had they done so I would have shot them." "Would you really have done that, Mr. Trevor?" asked Miss Hutchings. ;;I would have been obliged to in self-defense." Father says that you are a most remarkable boy,'' said Miss Carr. "I'm afraid your father exaggerates my importance." "I'm sure he does not," said the girl sweetly. "I think myself that you are a most unusual boy," put in Miss Hutchings. "I'm positive my brother, _who is about your age, wouldn't dare act as you did under the same circumstances." "You can't tell what _your brother is capable of doing until he is put to the test. He must be a nice fellow if he's like you." "Thank you,'' replied the girl, with a blush and a bow. "I'm afraid you are a great flatterer." "I didn't intend to flatter you. I merely ex pressed my sentiments on the subject." "Well, you mustn't throw any boquets at me, for you might make me vain." "I think you're too sensible to let a little thing like that have any effect on you." "Dear me, you are certainly very complimentary," replied Miss Hutchings, with a coquettish smile. "I think we had better change the subject." "Very well," replied Tom coolly. "What shall we talk about?" "Tell us about tKe proceedings at the court. Annie and I would like to hear what took place there." "Certainly. It will give me great pleasure to give you a general idea of the examination of the rascals,'' said Tom, who proceeded to describe all !hat happened in the magistrate's office that morn mg. As he finished his dinner was announced, and he escorted both young ladie s into the dining room. A special spread had been prepared in honor of the young trader, and he enjoyed the meal immensely. He held up hi s end of the con vers ation in good shape and the girls were more than e v e r attracte d by his g enial d eportme nt. Mr. Carr a s k e d him m any qu es tion s about hi s busi n e ss, and how he was g etting on, all of w hich he ans w e red with perfe c t frankness. "I think I s hould enjoy t rave lin g around the country like you do," said Mis s Hutchings. "All's not gold that glitters, Mis s Hutchings," replie d T o m. "I'm not touring for ple a sure, but to make a living and something over, with an eye to the future. "But surely you find some amusement in it as well, don't you?" she said. "Well, I guess Chick and I don't miss any that we run across." '.'.Are you ever bothered by tramps on the road?" We have been once or twice, but when I pulled that gun of mine on them they skedaddled in short o;rder. There's a heap of persuasion in a loaded six-shooter. It's an argument that nobody likes to contradict."

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10 TRADING TOM "Particularly when the man behind the gun means business," laughed Mr. Carr. "I never pull my weapon unless I do mean busi ness," replied Tom. "I know whatmy rights are, and I always insist on getting all that's coming to me." "A boy of your caliber is pretty certain to come out at the top of the heap," said the cashier. "A fellow has got to hold his own in this world or go to the waU. I haven't met many people in the course of my travels who are anx10us to put themselves out for my benefit. I have. traded with some pretty sharp people who had very little sentiment in their make-up. They counted on getting my scalp, but I guess they were in their expectations. I have rubbed agamst the 'World a good deal in my time, and that has a tendency to cut one's eye-teeth." "We passed your van on our way home yester day," said Miss Carr. "It does look very much like a circus wagon, rather the worse for wear. We noticed a small boy apparently asleep on the driver's seat. Was that your assistant?" "Yes, that was Chick. He's cut his too, in a pretty hard school. Anybody who tried to fool Slivers would have to get up long before daylight to make any sort of success of it, and the chances are then he'd come out second best. There are no flies on Chick, you can take my word for it. I find him of great use to me. He's as honest as the day is long, which can't be saia of every bo?; brought up as he was." 'You call yourself Trading Tom-the boy who buys everything," smiled Miss Hutchings. "That is my trade-mark." "It is certainly an unique one; but of course you don't really buy everything." "I come as near to it as can be reasonably ex pected." "I presume you are able to resell at a profit whatever you purchase?" "I certainly do, o:i: there wouldn't be any use in me continuing the business. Nearly everything I buy has no great apparent value in the eyes of the seller, or the person wouldn't be disposed to part with them. Everybody. has some .truck around the house that is in the way and of no use to them. For instance, no one cares to i'etain a demoralized spring mattress. I am always ready to buy such things. I could not resell it, however, in that shape. I buy it with an eye to what I can get out of the springs. The framework cuts no figure whatever in the transaction." "I see," said Miss Hutchings. "Another example I will mention. A short time before I met you young ladies yesterday I bought, among other things, an ancient bureau of a woman who had had it stowed away in her garret many years. She wanted to get rid of it, and r paid her fifty cents for the privilege of relieving her of it. As it stood I could hardly have got more than fifty cents for it of a second-hand dealer. It was made of Spanish mahogany, and must have cost money when it was new and in style. The wood, however, was black and tarnished from age and neglect, and didn't look very Inviting. You ought to see it now, though. Chick and I set to work and scraped it thoroughly, and this morning I applied a coat of polish to it. That brought out all the fine points of the wood same as if it were new. When it gets second coat it will look absolutely new. I removed the old glass handles, which are obsolete, and I shall replace them with attractive bright brass ones. Then I shall offer that bureau for sale at $10, and I won't have much trouble in getting it either." "That will give you a good profit/' said Miss Carr. ''Which I think I'm entitled to for Tescuing an article from oblivion and making it of use and importance once more, just as I saved Chick from the slums of Chicago and hope to make a man of him in time." "That was a very worthy action, Mr. Trevor," said Mrs. Carr, "and you no doubt will get your reward in some way." "I am getting my reward right along, for Chick is my right bower, and thinks he can't do too much for me." "That shows he appreciates what you did for him." "Oh, Chick is all right-a sort of rough diamond that only requires to be ground a bit and polished to show what is really in him." "I suppose you don't always expect to be a traveling trader?" said Miss Carr. "No. I am ambitious to be something a great deal better than that. As soon as I see a chance to better myself I shall dispose of my outfit without the least regret. But whi1e I remain a trader I shall continue to devote my best efforts to making the occupation a success, for I believe that whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing as well as possible. It is by putting one's best efforts in whatever one puts his hand to, no matter how humble, that he blazes tlie path to success." "That's right, young man," said Mr. Carr approvingly. "If you follow that sentiment you are bound to become a successful man if you live." Tom's words also made more than a passing impression on Miss Hutchings. She secretly applauded Tom's views, and the young trader rose greatly in her opinion. She felt that he was destined for a much higher plane of usefulness than that which he now occupied, and she entertained no doubt of his ultimate rise in the world. After dinner the party adjourned to the sitting room again; but Tom did not stay much longer, as he said it was necessary for him to return to his van. When he rose to go Mr. Carr, with a few well -cho sen w6rds of thanks for his services, pr!' sented him with a gold watch and chain, to which Mrs. Carr added a handsome charm. A couple of hours later he and Chick, perched on the driver's seat, were on the road once more, with the houses of Woodland village fading out of sight behind. CHAPTER Vlll.-On the Road Again. They traveled on till darkness overtook them, and then Tom hauled up at a spot where the road widened out around a tall, wide spreading walnut tree. "This is our bivouac for tonight, Chip;" he said. "Get down." Slivers got down on one side and Tom on the other. They took out the horses and tied them to the tree where they could get plenty of grass. Then Tom got down the gas stove, made a pot of coffee and fried a mess of ham, eggs and potatoes, which, with fresh bread and butter, made a tip-top meal. After the things were washed uo

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TRADING TOM 1l they got the bureau out of the van, and while Chick held the reflector lamp Tom applied the sec ond coat of polish. The left it standing between the wagon and the fence, where Tom calculated it would be perfectly safe, and turned in, after hanging a lighted lantern outside. This time they left the doors only partly open on a chain. They were not disturbed that night and were up about sunrise. The bureau was dry and fit to be handled by that time. Breakfast over, the horses were hitched up and they started on again. 'In about an hour they came in sight of a big farmhouse setting back about half a mile from the road. Tom drove up the lane and entered the yard. A woman and three girls ranging from fifteen to twenty came to the back door, attracted by the unusual spectacle of the faded fancy van. "Good-morning, ma'am," said Tom, with Chesterfieldian politeness. "I'm Trading Tom-the boy who buys everything. If you've got any old paper or odds and ends around the house that you would like to get rid of in exchange for new tinware, pins, needles, ribbons and such like notions too numerous to mention, or cash, I'll talk business with you." "I don't know that I've got anything to sell," replied the woman. "Maybe he'd buy that old clock up stairs that won't go," said one of the girls. "We need a new dish-pan, and I want a number of small things if he's got them." "If you will get the clock I'll see what figure I can afford to put on it." "I'm afraid you p eddlers don't pay anything to speak of," said the woman. "I'm not a regular peddler, ma'am. I make a specialty of buying old truck. I will treat you' perfectly fair." "I'll get the clock," said the oldest girl, who seemed to be eager to secure something from Tom. Tom unlocked a flap behind him and exposed a wide shelf covered with boxes of different sizes. "Would you like to see the latest thing in ribbons, ma'am?" he asked, taking out several boxes and stepping down to the ground. The temptation was irresistible, and mother and girls gathered around him to examine the goods. They wanted ribbons of several colors and sizes and asked the prices. Tom quoted city prices, and as they knew he was not trying to cheat them they bought something like three dollars' worth. The oldest girl now appeared with the clock, and whiie he was inspecting it, tne young lady selected some bright pink ribbon for a sash, and some narrow iibbon for a collar she intended to make. They also bought some needles, several papers of pins tape, spools of thread and a few other things, and finally selected a dishpan. Their purchases in all amounted to about six dollars. Tom said he would allow a quarter for the clock. "It will have to be repaired, ma'am, before I can sell it," he said, and the woman let it go at that. The father himself now made his appearance from the barn and looked curiously at the vehicle. He read the sign on the outside. "Do you guarantee that liniment?" he asked Tom. "It will do all that is claimed for it," replied the young trader. "It is one of the best preparaiions of its kind on the market. I have sold nearly six dozen bottles since I left Chicago. I have only t:wo of the large size left." "If I thought it was any good I'd buy a bottle," said the farmer, a bit doubtfully. "Maybe you've got some old iron around you'd like to trade off," said Tom. "No, but I've got a trunk full of old newspapers in the garret you're welcome to if you will take it for the liniment." "I'll look at what you have," said Tom. "Get the scales, Chick." Tom accompanied the farmer to the garret, where he looked the trunk over and weighed the paper. "So you want to trade that for a big bottle of liniment?" he said. "I'm willing to.': "I can do a little better by you than that.. I always aim to do the fair thing and never try to take advantage of a person. I'll allow you seventy-five cents. That is a quarter toward'the payment of what your wife and daughters just bought." "That's pretty square," replied the farmer, evidently pleased. "I'll help you down with the trunk and contents." When a settlement was made in the yard Tom received $4.60 in money. He then bade the people good-by and started for the road, after present ing the eldest girl with a fancy ornament formed of brilliants for her hair, which she accepted with an exclamation of delight. About noontime they reached the village of Aesop, and Tom his outfit in front of a small restaurant. Giving the horses a bag of oats each, the boys entered the eating-house and ate a modest dinner. The van during their absence attracted a whole lot of attention and curiosity, particularly the sign on the back, "TRADING TOM-the Boy who Buys Everything.'' "Say, Jimmy," said one kid to another, "do you s'pose he'd buy a red-hot stove?" "Why don't you ask him?" "Where is he?" "In that restaurant eatin' dis dinner.'' "ls that him with the little runt at the second table?" Jimmy nodded. "Got a funny lookin' face, hasn't he? I mean the little feller." "Yes. He looks older than me and you and we're bigger than him." While Jimmy and his companion were talking about Tom and Chick, grown people were reading the sign on the side of the van and making humorous remarks about the outfit. At length Tom and Chick finished their dinner. and came outside. "Are you the chap who buys everything?" asked one of the wags of the village, with a grin, of T=. "I am," replied the young trader, looking him squarely in the eye. "If you're for sale I'm afraid I couldn't give much for you, but I'll set a figure if you say so." The laugh was turned on the village humorist and he got very indignant. "Do you mean to insult me?" he d'i)manded angrily. "Insult you! Why, you asked me a que11 tion and I answered you," replied Tom

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12 TRADING TOM "You gave me an impertinent answer, and I'd be justified in kicking you into the street, you cbmmon fellow," sn01ted -the other. "You're at liberty to try it if you think you're man enough to do it," replied Tom, coolly. "I wouldn't soil my hands touching you," answered tbe wag, loftily. "Very considerate on your part," replied Tom, sarcastically. The young man who prided himself on his wit turned away with a look of disdain and got out of the way as soon as .he could escape the snikers of those who knew him and were enjoying his dis comfiture. Chick had already mounted to his seat and Tom now followed him and drove off toward the cottage section, where he spent the whole af ternoon making trades here and there along the route. As soon as it began to grow dark they returned to the restaurant and had their supper, and then Tom drove to a vacant spot of ground on the outskirts of the village close to a small manu facturing establishment, and roosted there for the night. CHAPTER IX.-Tom Is Treated to a Surprise. On the following morning, which was Saturday, the boys got their own breakfast with the help of the oil stove. "Now, Chick, we'll overhal,11 and rearrange the stuff I bought in this week," said Tom to his assistant after they had cleaned up their breakfast things. "We'll reach Exeter this afternoon. It's a big town and I may find a chance to dispose of some of my stuff, so I've got to put things in shape." Half the merchandise in the wagon was pulled out on the grass. All the old paper was tied up in handy-sized bundles. The magazines and story papers were sorted out and tied in piles. The old metal was put together in separate boxes. Then they got the mattress frames down from the roof of the van and detached the copper and brass springs from them, JlUtting them in another box. The framework was taken apart, tied up in a bundle and returned to the top of the wagon. The parrot cage Tom had got for a dime was cleaned up till its brass parts shone like new, and the young trader figured that it ought to fetch $1. The rusty stove was taken from under the van, cleaned and polished, and then returned to its place again. By the time the boys were ready, for dinner eve1ything was ship-shape and in or'ltl der. Some of the factory hands on their way to their dinner stopped and viewed the van with a lot of curiosity. The bundles of magazines and storv papers atracted the attention of several. "Want to sell any of them things cheap?" ask.ed a man, pointing at the bundles. "Sure," replied Tom. "That bundle of magazines is complete from January to December. You can have it for half a dollar. Those in that bundle are different kinds of magazines in first-class condition, three for ten cents. Those in that bundle you can have at two for a nickel. The story .papers go for a cent a copy." 'rhe man bought th-e complete bundle and went off with it. Nearly everybody bought from a nickel to a \:juarter's worth of the magazines, reducing Tom'.s supply considerably. His profit was lar2e becau&_e he had bought all of them for waste paper. The manager of the mill, passing that way while the boys were eating their dinner, was attracted by the parrot cage. He decided that it was just what he wanted for his mocking bird. "Want to sell that cage, young man?" he asked Tom. "Yes, sir." "What do you ask for it?" Tom sized him up and thought he could stand $1.50, so he named that price. The manager b ought it without trying to dicker, and the young trader wrapped it in paper for him. "You made a good profit on dat cage," grinned Chick. "Yes, and on the magazines too," replied Tom. "I didn't ex.pect to sell anything in this village "Gee! I'd like to be boss of a business like dis," said Chick. "Maybe I'll turn it over to you some day when I get hold of something that suits me better." "Where'd I get the coin to pay for de outfit?" asked Chick. "I'd trust you for it. I have perfect confidence in youi honesty, Chick." "I'd pay you all right, if you gave me time enough." "I'd give you all the time you wanted." "T'anks. Dere ain't many fellers like you, Tom. I'd hate to leave you even to be boss of my owr1 biz. You've treated me white and you bet I'll never forget it," said Chick emphatically. Tom said it was time for them to start, so the horses were hitched up and the van started for Exeter, which was only a few miles away. A mile outside of the town they stopped at a roadhouse to water the animals. The boys went to the bar and bought a bottle of soda water each. While they were drinking it the proprietor, who was standing on the veranda, noticed Tom's trademark on the vehicle. When the boys came out he said to Tom: "I've got s0me stuff I want to sell. Will you look at it?" "I will," replied the young trader, who was always ready for business. The landlord led the way to the storage room at the top of the house. "Here's a trunk with a lot of clothes that an old man left behind him when he died owing me quite a bill. What 'Uiiill you give for the lot?" Tom opened tl'le trunk, looked the things over, and named a small price. "Is that the best you. can do?" asked the man. "Yes. I couldn't get much for them, while the trunk is so old-fashioned that I doubt if I could find a purchaser for it at any price." The man produced a lot of other things for Tom's inspection, and he made a figure on the batch, which the proprietor, after some haggling, accepted. Tom paid him, and then with Chick's help carried the stuff to the van. On entering the town Tom made inquiries for a junk store, and finally found one down near the river which flow ed by Exeter. Here he disposed of the bulk of his stuff at a fair profit. The man bought the trunk he got from the farmhouse, but he wouldn't take the old trunk Tom bought from the proprietor of the roadhouse. "Y;ou'd better lose that somewhere in the he laughed. '"I wouldn't I .umber my place up with it." After dumping the clothes eut, for which the

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TRADING TOM 13. boy r ec eived little more than he had given for them he told Chick to return the trunk to the van. It w ould be handy to hold stuff in at any rate. The stove fetched a profit of about fifty cents, w hile the wood that had made up the frames of the spring mattresses went for a quarter. The deale r offered a dollar for the bureau, but Tom declined to sell it at that price. After leaving the dealer he stopped at a hardware store and bought suitable fancy brass handles for it. Next they went to the expres s office and Tom got his C. 0. D. box of Popper's World-renowned Liniment. That finished their business for the day, and they went on to a restaurant and had a good dinner. Tom then drove out to the railroad yards on the suburbs and located a small field beyond them, where he got permission to stay till Monday. As it was fenced in, the horses were allowed to roam about on the gras s at will The van was nearly empty now, so they had abundant room for their mattress. Chick had noticed that there was a show on at the Opera House that night, so he told Tom that he'd like to go to it. "Do you think you can find your way back here, all right?" a5ked Tom, as he handed hiro half dolla r "Why not? All I'll have to do is to follow the river _out to the railroad yard," replied Chick, con fidently. To say the truth it would be a hard thing for Chick to lose himself anywhere, so Tom had little doubt but he'd turn up in due time. After Slivers had started for the Opera House, Tom got out hi s account book and figured up the profits of his trip to date H e found he had a very comfortable balance in his favor. When he fini s hed his accounts he shut up the van and crossing the street and the railroad tracks began to saunter along the bank of the ..iiver. It was a very warm night and the breeze near the water was a grateful relief after the close interior of the wagon. He proceeded s lo w ly, with no particular object in view, for half a mile, by which time he was way beyond the outskirts of the town, when he saw a scow drawn tip b es ide the bank .. The craft appeared to be deserted, s o Tom step ped on board and sat down on the roof of the cover e d part aft, which answered for a cabin or living quarters for the men who had charge of the s cow when in commission. After sitting there a while he walked forward and leaned over the side of the craft near the bows, watching the slow p r ogress of a freight train on the other side of tlie river, and the lights of Rivermouth, the big manufacturing town which was connected with Exeter by ferry. While he stood there in the shadows three m e n s louched aboard the scow and made their way into the cabin, where they struck a light and ignited a candle which they stood on a rude table in the center of the place. One of the men open e d a bundle he had brought aboard under his arm. It contained half a dozen sandwiches and a pie cut into three s ection s He also produced from his hip pocket a large flat black bottle, which he place d near the candle. Each man helped himself to two sandwiches and a s lice of the pie and began to eat like hungry m e n. Tom had not heard the men come on the scow and was not aware of their prese nce until he tur ned to retu1n to the van, when he saw the flickering light and the forms of the men in the cabin. He immediately concluded that the persons belonged to the scow, and as he passed the door-, way casually glanced inside. He stopped short however, with a gasp of surprise, as he recognized two of the men as Barney Hogan and Jim Snuggs the Woodland burglars, whom he supposed to b safely lodged in the Exeter county jail. CHAPTER X.-Tom Gets in a Bad Fix. The men did not notice Tom as he looked in at them. They stood around the table eating vora-ciously and conversing between bites. "It ain't safe for us to stay here,'' said Barney, reaching for the flask, which he raised to his lips after unscrewing the stopper. "The moment our escape isdiscovered the cops will start out to round us up." "We might be able to steal a ride on that freight trnin they are makin' up in the yard back there," said the chap Tom did not know. "It won't do to go back to the yard just on a chance of gettin' into an empty box car and a seat on the bumpers ," replied Snuggs. "Some yard man would be sure to see us hangin' around and suspect what. we were up to. We must hoof it down the road as soon as we're rested. Maybe we'll find a rowboat somewhere along the river and then we can cross over to the other side." "I ain't. countin' on such luck as that," said Barney. "I figure that we'll have to walk all night, and hide s omewhere soon after daylight." "We'd better stick to the river on the chance of finding a boat, for it would be much to our advan tage to get on the other side as soon as we could," remarked Snuggs. "You see, the police will go to the ferry the first thing to find out if any one s een three chaps of our de!lcription go on the boat. The chances are we would have been noticed had we gone across that way, and then the officers on the other side would be notified to 1ook out for us. When the cops find that we weren't seen on the boat they'll figure that we're still on this side, and will hunt for us up and down the river and out along tbe ioad. If we could get across on the sly we'd give them the slip." Snuggs's remarks received favorable consideration, and it was decided to stick to the river. By this time the men had finished the food and partly emptied the fla s k. Tom concluded he had heard enough of their plans to be able to put the police on their trail, so he started to leave the s cow. Un fortunately Barney looked toward the door at that moment and saw his retreating figure. "There's some one outside watchin' us,'' he said, in a tone that startled his companions. "He must have heard aU we s aid. We must catch him," and he made a Spring for the door. Snuggs and the other man, whose name was Has kins, followed him. Tom, unconscious that his presence had been discovered, had reached the bank and was hastening away. The th1ee escaped prisoners rushed after him and were almost on him before he heard their footsteps. He sta1ted to run the moment he saw they were after him, and would probably have made good his e s cape in the darkness but that he tripped over a rail and fell headlong across the ties. His r ead struck the opposit e rail and the shock knocked him temporarily_ unconscious. The crooks grahl>W. him, but saw right away that he was insen s iMe.

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TRADING TOM "I;Ie's a 'boy," said Barney. have got a hard tap to knock him out. What shall we do .with him? He's on to us, of course, and as soon :as he comes .to he'll send wo .rd to the police ana they'll know the direction we've taken. "Take him aboard the scow and tie him up in the cabin," suggested Haskin\l. "We ain't got nothin' to tie him with," said Barney. "I saw a piece of rope aboard," replied Haskins. "Let's see whether he's playin' possum or not," said Snuggs, striking a match and holding it close The moment he got a view of the boy's features he dropped the match and uttered an imprecation. "What's the matter?" asked Barney, who had not identified Tom. "Do you know who this chap is?" replied Snuggs, in a fierce tone. "No. How should I?" returned Barney, carelessly. "It's the kid who turned trick on us in Woodland." "What!" ejaculated Barney, showing sudden in-terest. "That peddler boy?" "The identical rooster." "Well, I'll be jiggered. How comes he to be here?" "That's more' n I can We can't take no chances with him, I can tell you. He's too
PAGE 16

TRADING TOM 16 "Thanks, officer," said Tom, getting on his feet. "Are you after the rascals?" "I am. Two of us are searching this neighborhood for a clue. No one could guess the route taken by the scoundrels. Men have been sent out in all directions to try and find them." "I can give you a pretty good line on them if they haven't changed their plans after leaving me here." "Well, where did they go---down the river?" "Yes; looking for a boat to get across to the other side of the river." "You say they made a prisoner of you around ten o'clock?" "Yes." "Then they have a good two hours' start of us. How came they to bother you 7" Tom explained how he had discovered the trio in the cabin eating and planning their course of action. "I had no idea that they saw me outside in the dark," he said. "I knew them and had just started for the freight yards to get somebody there to telephone to the jail when I saw them coming after me. They never would have caught me if I hadn't tripped over the railroad tracks." "How is it that you recognized them as having escaped from the jail 7 By their conversation?" "No. I was the cause of the capture of two of them-Barney Hogan and Jim Snuggs-after they had entered the residence of George Carr, cashier of the local bank of Woodland, to rob it. I knew them at once, and the fact that they were at large was 'enough to convince me that they had managed in some way to get out of jail where I knew they were awaiting their trial. I am the chief witness against them, and because of the part I played in their capture, Snuggs wanted to thl'ow me into the river tonight. For tunatdy for me, the other two objected to being mixed up in a murder, and so they left me here in the hope that I wouldn't be discovered before Monday at the earliest." "It is fortunate for you that we came this way, and a piece of good luck for us that we found you and thus got a clue to the direction taken by the rascals." At that moment a policeman in plain clothes, a d e tective officer, stuck his head in at the door and asked the man Tom was talking to what was keeping him. "Have you got one of them?" he added, seeing Tom' s figure in the gloom. "No, Dan, but I've got evidence that they came this way," replied the policeman. "Come, let us get out of this, young man." On reaching the second officer's side, Tom was aske d to repeat his story for the other's benefit, which he did. "So they're trying to make their escape down the river," said the detective. "We have no time to lose, Hinkley, for they have nearly three hours' start of us. Here comes a freight train now. We'll stop it, get aboard and go on as far as Allentown. We can telephone to headquarters from there, and then start up the river on the chance of meeting the men. I don't think there is much chance of their finding a rowboat to get across the river." Tom was instruced to repo11t at police headQUarters in the forenoon, and he promised to do so. The officer then signalled the freight en gineer. As soon as the train came to a stop the policemen got into the cab, briefly explained things to the engineer, and then the train started on again. Tom took the road back to the yards, congratulating himself over his lucky escape from a bad fix, and in about fifteen minutes reached the van, where he found Chick impatiently waiting for him to show up. CHAPTER XI.-Tom Calls On Miss Hutchings. "Gee, Tom!" exclaimed Chick, "where have you been 7 It's after one." "Up the river and in trouble," answered Tom. "What trouble did you get into 7" "I ran against those two crooks that tried to rob Mr. Carr's house in Woodla1.d." "How could you when they're in jail 7" "They escaped this evening with another chap and went aboard a scow hauled up to the river bank about half a mile from here." "You don't say!" cried Chick, much astonished. "I was on the scow at the time taking in the breezes," said Tom, who then went on and told his companion all that had happened to him until he was finally rescued from his predicament by a policeman, one of a pair who were out hunting for the rascals. "It's a good t'ing dat de cop found you. I never would have known where you was. You might have staved dere a couple of days wit'out anyt'in' to eat.r' "That's right," said Tom, unlocking the doors of the van. A quarter of an hour later both were asleep. They slept late Sunday morning and got their breakfast in the van. Leaving Chick in charge of the vehicle, Tom went to police headquarters andreported the events of the night so far as his connection with the escaped prisoners was con cerned. He learned that so far as the authorities were aware, the rascals had not yet been retaken. On leaving the station house he went to a res-. taurant and had dinner, after which he went back to the van. "Here's half a dollar, Chick," he said. "Go into town and get your dinner. I have had mine." Chick took the money and departed, but without any intention of spending all the money on a meal. While his companion was away, Tom passed the time reading the Sunday edition of one of the Riverside papers. His assistant got back about two o'clock and Tom told him he was going to pay a short call on Miss Hutchings, who he presumed had returned home a s she said she was going to. He _inquired his way to Jefferson street, in the residential section of the town, and found it was lined with cottages of the better class, all standing apart in their own grounds. Following the numbers he came to the Hutch-ings house, where he rang the bell. A neat-looking servant answered his ring. "Is Miss Hutchings at home?" Tom inaired. "She is," was the answer.

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16 TRADING TOM "Tell her "l'homas Trevor would like to see her." "W,alk in, please." Tom entered and was shown into the parlor. In a few minutes Miss Hutchings appeared, looking more bewitching than ev e r. "How do you do, Mr. Trevor," she said, with a beaming smile. "I am delighted to s ee you." "The plea sure is mutual, Mis s Hutchings," responded Tom, taking her hand. "It i s very kind of you to call." "I couldn't help it, for you are an attraction I was unable to resist: "Dear me, are you going to shower compliments on me again' ? I thought you had exhausted your supply the afternoon we me at Mr. Carr's," she laughed. "I have a few left," he said with a smile. "You boys are s uch jolliers that one hardly knows how to take you." "I may do a little jollying in my business, but I wouldn't think of jollying you. It is my intention to speak only the truth in your presence. Now, when I say that, in my opinion, you look even more charming this afternoon, in that new gown which well becomes you, than you did at Woodland, I am only expressing my real sentiments on the subject." Miss Hutchings blu shed and looked pleased. Say what they will to the contrary, every girl likes to be complimented on her personal appearance, especially by one she is interested in, and Alice Hutchings was more interested in the young trader than she would admit. "When did you reach Exeter?" she asked. "Yesterday afternoon." "How do you like our town? "Very much, indeed, as far as I've seen of it. It i s quite a flouri s hin g looking place." "Rivers id e across the river, is larger, but it isn't as nice a town by any means It is chiefly noted for its manufacturing interests. Nearly all the big business people of Rivers ide live here in Exeter, and go back and forth every 'day on the ferry. My father i s the president of the ferry, and also of the Exeter N ational Bank." Judging from the cottage and its appointments, as well a s Mr. Hutchings s importance in the community, Tom .figured that his fair hostess was a member of the be s t society in Exeter, and he felt that she had g1eatly honored him in receiving him at her home on terms of equality. He had take n a great fancy to the young lady, but he was afraid that if her father learned that he was only a traveling trader he. would not approve of the intimacy. Aft.er talking about various things, Tom s uddenly said: "Did you hear about the escape from the Exeter jail of those two rascals who tried to rob Mr. Car's house?" "Why, ye s ; it was in the morning's paper. Isn't it too bad they got away?" "Yes, it is. You will be surpris ed when I tell you that I ran across them last night along the river below the railroad yards." "Is it possible!" she exclaimed, with a look of astonishment. "I will tell you how it happened," he replied. Whereupon he described to her how he had met the rascals and fallen into their hands; what they had done to him, and how he had subse quently been rescued by one of the Exeter police force. She looked sta1tled when Tom described how Snuggs wanted to throw him into the river in order to get him out of the way and be revenged upon him at the same time. "You had a narrow escape," she said, with some earnes tness. "That's right. If the other two, or even Barney Hogan, had been in favor of doing me up that way,. there was nothing to prevent them from carrying out their purpose, for the scow is moored at a spot that is very lonesome at night." "I'm so glad nothing serious happened to you, Mr. Trevor." "Thank you, Miss Hutchings It is very kind of you to express your sympathy. Being as I am a rolling stone, without parents or relatives, and nobody but Chick to mourn my loss if I were s uddenly removed from this busy world, it is a satisfaction to know that you feel at least a slight interest in my welfare," replied Tom, in a grateful tone. "I feel more than a slight interest in you, Mr. Trevor," replied the girl, impulsively. "You may be only a traveling trader at present, but I am sure you will not long remain so. I know that you are energetic and ambitious, and to a boy so well endowed a s you are, all things are possible." "I think the compliments are coming .from you now, Miss Hutchings," laughed Tom. "I am only following your example-express ing my real sentiments on the subject," she replied, with a slight blush. "I accept them as such and thank you for your encouraging words," r e plied Tom. After that the fair girl and the enterprising young trader seemed drawn a little closer together in spirit. Each recogn,ized that a kind of mutual interes t exi s t e d between them, and in consequ e nce, their bea ring to each othe r uncon sciously became more unreserved and friendly. Tom remained till about .five o'clock and then said he gues s ed it was time for him to go. "Shall I see you ;.gain before y9u leave town?" Alice asked, with a look that indicated it would give her much pleasure to have him call again. "I'm afraid not, Miss Hutchings I shall cros s over to Riverside by an early boat in the morning, and continue my way west and south. I trust we shall meet again in the near future, for I will 'try and r etur n to this town s ome time, if I have to make a special trip by rail. Your friendship i:> more to me than perhaps you understand. You have a nice home, parents, a larg e circle of friends who admire you, while I-well, I am only a bit of fl.oatsam on the world, with my future to make through my own efforts. Your friendship, therefore, is a precious po ss ession to me, and I want to d eserve it, and I don't want to lose jt. I shall remember your kind words of encouragement, and I shall think of y o u often as distance lengthens between us. If you w ould permit me to---" "Permit you to what, Mr. Trevor?" said the girl, who was deeply movea by the boy' s w ords, as he paused abruptly. "I was going to ask a favor of you, but I fear I have no right to suggE:st it," he said, with s ome slight emotion in his tone. "I am sure you would not ask any favor I could not willini-ly grant, so please express it."

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TRADING TOM 17 "I will do so, and if it be presumption on my part, I beg your forgiveness in advance. I was going to say that if you would permit me to write you once in a while, it would make me very hap py." "You have my permission to do so, Mr. Tre vor, s he replied, with a smile. "And I promise to ans w e r your letters if you will let me know where an answer is likely to reach you." "Thank you, Miss Hutchings. I appreciate the favor very much. Any letter you send me will be treasured in remembrance of this afternoon, which I regard as the brightest spot in my life so far. I shall labor harder than ever to be worthy of your friendship, and to show you that I mean to get ahead in the world as fast as it is possible for a boy of my years to do." "I have no fear about your future," replied the girl, in a tone of earnest conviction. "I am >Satisfied that the time will come when I .shall consider myself fortunate in knowing you. I :foresee that you will make your mark in some way, for, in my opinion, you are one boy in a thousand." "I thank you again for your generous appreciation of me, and now wish you good-by, trusting we shall meet again .before a great while." Tom put out his hand and she placed hers in his. "Good-by, Mr. Trevor," she said. "Be sure that I will not forget you." H e bowed courteously to her, and the next mo m ent he was outside. He turned at the gate and saw her still standing at the door. He waved his hand and she returned the salute with a smile. Then Tom walked up the street, and Alice went to h e r room conscious that something new and sweet had come ino her life which made her feel very happy. CHAPTER XII.-An Encounter With Tramps. Tom and Chick were astir soon after daylight. The horse s were hitched up and they drove toward the ferry-house.. Within a block of the river they stoppe d at a small restaurant for breakfast, then the y were aboard the boat which was about ready to start. A few minutes s ufficed to laod them at the wharf on the other side of the river, and from that point they proce e ded through the business second of Riverside. Tom stopped at a wholesale tinware e stablishm ent to renew depleted s tock of articles most in demand among the farmers' wives and then went to a jobbing dry goods house where he bought a S1:1pply of the noti?ns There b eing nothmg else to detam hun m town, he starte d on and soon was on the county road with his horses heads pointed to the southeast. He did some business along his route that day, and at nightfall camped near a cross roads. "Dis here is what I call de life for me," said Chick, a s they squatted on the grass after supper, and Slivers brought forth a cigarette from a pack in his pocket. "Most fellers dat's used to de city like me, wouldn't come out into de country for a gold mine. I was radder homesick at first, as you know; but now it's different. I'm satisfied if I'm in town once in a while where I kin go tb a show." "You're looking a whole lot healthier since you have been out with me, Chick," replied Tom, "though you're a tough nut, any way, and it would take a great deal to knock you out even if you had stayed in Chicago "Bet your life it would," grinned the boy. "But I feel like a fightin'-cock since I've been travenin' in dat waggin. I'll bet I could lick any two boys my size now and come up to de scratch smilin'." Chick blew out several rings of blue smoke and watched them circle above his. head. It was dark by this time, but the sky was bright with stars, and they could easily see up and down the road for some little distance. There was scarcely any breeze, so that .the tiniest branches on the trees stood motionless in the air. But for the noises of the frogs and divers nocturnal insects there would have been absolute silence over the face of nature. As Chick tossed the butt of his cigarette away and got up to stretch himself, he saw two men coming slowly toward them along the road. The boy called Tom's attention to them and then hopped up on the rear of the van where he sat down, allowing his legs to swing under him. When the newcomers got close it was seen that they belonged to the hobo fraternity, and pretty tough specimens they were. Each of them had an empty tomatoe can slung over his shoulder, and carried a cudgel in his hand. They saw the wagon and walked toward it. "Hello, matey," said one, stopping in front of Tom, "got somethin' good to eat in yer out fit?" "Hungry, are you?" answered Tom. "I reckon we are. If ye've got any licker we'll take that fust." "Don't carry anything ofthat kind." "Why don't yer?" asked the fellow, in an impatient tone. "Because I don't," replied Tom, coolly. "Don't get sassy, young feller, or I'll butt yer in the snoot." "Maybe you will, but I doubt it. If you ex pect me to give you anything to eat, you've got to be civil." "Hear the little cock crow!" said the tramp, sarcastically. "Jest yer hand out a supply of yer eatables or we'll step aboard and help our selves." "If that's the way you talk, you won't get any-thing from me." "Yer do what I tell yer, or I'll knock yer block off," said the tramp, raising his cudg e l in a threatening way. Chick saw that there was going to be trouble, so he darted back into the van for the sixshooter. The s econd tramp, seeing him retreat, decided to follow. Tom sprang forward and seized the cudgel held by the fir s t tramp and wrench. ed it from his grasp. "Now you get out quick,". he said in a resolute tone. The tramp, with a snarl of rage, stuck his hand into his shirt and drew out a wicked-looking knife, the blade of which glinted in the starlight.

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18 TRADING TOM "I'll carve yer up," he roared, Jlreparing to make a lunge with the weapon at Tom. The boy was too quick for him. He brought the knotty end of the cudgel down on his wrist, and the knife fell to the grass. The tramp ut tered a howl of mingled anger and pain. A dif ferent kind of a howl came from the other tramp. He was in the act of clambering into the van when Chick .jabbed the revolve r in his face and said tersely, "Git!" He "got" quick, tumbling backward on to the grass. Tom s t e pped forward and put his foot on the knife so that the tramp could not recover it. Then he swung the cudgel so close to the fel low' s face that he hopped back and tripped over his companion. The ragged and disreputable vair got badly tangled up in their efforts to rise, and tne y fill e d the air with their imprecations. Tom pick e d up the knife and tossed it to Chick. Then he waited. for the men to get to their feet. As soon as they did, he ordered them to get away at once. They stood and giared at him, apparent-ly disinclined to obey. At that moment Cnick accidentally pressed the trigged of the revolver. There was a sharp report '.Ind the bullet whizzed between the heads of the two tramps:That was more than th,ey bargained for. They were impressed with the idea that Ch1ck had intended to shoot them. They were panic-stricken and took to their heels at once. Chick utte:i:ed a shout of glee, sprang to the ground, and sent another bullet after them, taking care that it would pass over their heads. "Great Scott, Chick!" cried Tom. "You've hit one of them." One of the tramps had tumbled over into the road. He scrambled to his feet again in a hurry and followed after his companion as hard as he could. Tom was relieved to find that the fall had come from the rascal's fright and not from the leaden messenger. Chick whooped things up with howls of satisfaction, and sent a third shot.after the retreating hobos. "I'll bet dat dey won't forget dis performance for a month," he said. Nothing would have pleased him better than to have rushed after the rascals and discharged the remaining chambers of the weapon, but he guessed that Tom would not approve of such a proceeding, and he never did anything that Tom didn't like if he could help it. "We have taught them a lesson, I hope," said the young trader. "Perhaps they won't be in such a hurry after this to bulldoze persons they happen to come acros s ." "Gee! How dey did run, especially de big fellow dat got de tumble in de dust," chuckled Chick. "It was better dan a circus to watch 'em." "You gave them a terrible shock when you fired that gun the first time. The bullet must have sung between their ears. That certainly started them on the go." "I didn't mean to shoot dat time. De revolver went off before I knew what was goin' to happen. Dey was lucky to get off wit'out a bullet," said Chick. "I thought you shot on purpose to frighten them," replied Tom, a bit surprised. "'Nope. It was an accident, but it did de busi-ness all right. Dey sta1 ted, bet your boots. Den I fired to 1.1ake 'em go faster. What a nerve dat feller had to. order you to fetch him somethin' to eat, jus t as if he was s ome big rooster wit' lots of money, and you was his nigger waiter. If dey'd behaved demselve s dey'd have got some grub, now dey'll have to go hungry, which serves dem right." "Well, it's time to turn in, Chick," said Tom. "Hand me the lantern and I'll s tick it up at the corner of the van." A few minutes later, with the door partly clo s ed and secured by the chain, they lay down to rest and were s oon asleep. CHAPTER XIII.-An Unexpected Encounter. A week later they entered a good-sized city on their route and put \JP over Sunday on a vacant lot where other vehicles were stored. The horses were lodged in a cheap stable tached to the lot. Tom and Chick went to a cheap hotel and registered. After supper, Tom went to the reading-toom and wrote a fairly long letter to Alice Hutchings, detailing his adventures during the we ek, and directing her to address him at a certain town he expected to reach a week later. After mailing the letter he and Chick went to a show, after which they returned to the hotel and went to the room they were to occupy together. On Monday morning Tom sold the greater part of his purchases at a junk store. Then he visited several s econd-hand stores to try and sell the bureau. The best offer he could get was $2. 75, and as he considered it worth a good deal more than that, he kept it in the wagon. Two days he entere d a small village in the next state about dark. His outfit at tracted a lot of attention when it h alted before trie small hotel. A crowd gathered around it, thinking it was the advertising van of a small circus. Tom let the mob gape, and entering the main room of the hotel, inquired what it would cost for two suppers. He was told fifty cents. This was isfactory, so the young trader and his assistant adjourned to the dining-room, where they got steak, potatoes, hot rolls, prunes and coffee. "Dem prunes look kind of sickly, don't you t'ink?" remarked Chich. "You mean they are small?" said Tom. "Dey're small an t'in, like a kid what ain't had enough to eat. Kin I get anudder plate? Dere wasn' t more'n two mout'fuls of dem." "I guess a second helping of prunes will be extra, but if you like them, get some more and I'll put up for them." So Chick called the waitress and ordered a s ec ond -plate of prunes. "We only give one plate with supper," she said. "Is dat a fact? Well, s po s e you mosey into de kitchen and find annuder plate of dem and charge extry for it." The 'waitress brought him a double portion this time, much to his satis faction, and told him to ;mte up a dime. Tom paid the money and waited patiently for Chick to get away with the prunes. "Gosh! But dem prunes goes to de right

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TRADING TOM 19 spot," said Chick. "It's a pity, dough, dat dey ain't, got more body to dem. I'm t'inkin' dem prunes was raised on a poor farm." -When the bys reached the veranda facing on the street again, they found the van still an object of curiosity to the villagers. They mounted on the front seat and drove off. Tom hauled up at i general store and went in to purchase sundry provisions, such as butter, eggs, etc., for his larder. The butter he put into a covered stone crock which he placed in a pail of cold water to keep as cool as possible. They passed the night on the outskirts of the village; and started on again immediately after breakrast. On the following Saturday they reached the town of Essex, where Tom had told Miss Hutchings a letter would reach him. He halted the van in front of the post-office, and, going to the general delivery window, asked the man if there was a letter for Thomas Trevor. The clerk pulled a small bunch of letters out of the "T" pigeon-hole and began sorting them ore a slight pel'fume suggestive of a lady's boudoir. It began: "Dear Mr. Trevor. I received your delightful and very welcome letter, dated July 18th, and mailed from Dayton, and I read and re-read it with feelings of great pleasure. I will now keep my promise to you and answer it, though I cannot promise that my poor efforts will ibe as interesting to you as your splendid letter was to me. Your adventure with the two tramps gave me quite a thrill, and I shudder to think how you might have been stabbed by that ruffian ;who attacked you," etc. The letter was full of a kindly personal interest to Tom, and its perusal made him very happy inde e d. He read it through three times before :finally returning it to his pocket, and while he ewas thus occupied Chick sat on the end of the an. Tom turned out the lamp and told Chick that he was going to walk up the road a bit to :stretch his legs. c "Yo come if you want o," he said. 11> eplied Chick, "dis ill good enough for me." So Tom started up the lonesome road alone. fi'he' road swung arou.nd" a short distance ahead and the lli!:ht of the van lantern vanished be-hind him. Tom was rather pleased to be alone, as he wanted to commune with himself over the contents of Alice Hutchings's letter. Its tone and words were very satisfactory to him; so much so, indeed, that he began building castles in the air in which the girl was a very important element. Lost in delightful visions of the future, Tom was hardly aware that he was approaching a railroad crossing. Between him and the tracks stood an old and dilapidated story-a-nd-a-half shanty, fronting on the road. As Tom approached it, a light suddenly flashed from one of the side windows, and the gleam attracted the boy's attention, and he woke up' from his airy dreams. The heat of the night had made Tom thirsty and he thought he would stop at the house, ask for a dipper of water and then retrace his steps to the van, which was somehing less than half a mile in his rear now. A weather-worn picket fence, much dilapidated, separated the house from the road and also enclosed it with a weedgrown yard on the sides and rear. The place did not present a very encouraging aspec t as Tom stepped in front of the gate which was open, and hung on one hinge. "If it wasn't for that light in the window, I'd believe the place was tenantless," said the young trader to himself, regarding the building with a doubtful eye. He walked up to the door and raised his hand to knock when it was suddenly opened in his face and two men filled the opening. They started back in a kind of consternation, as if his presence had startled them, and for a moment seemed undecided whether to retreat or not. As the night was not a dark one, there was light enough for Tom to see the faces of the men quite distinctly, and from the,m to get a fair view of his features. There was mutual recognition in the looks that passed between them. Tom saw before him Jim Snuggs and Barney Hogan, escaped crooks, and they appeared to be much the worse after their tramp from Exeter. They, on their part, identified the boy outside as Trading Tom, the lad who had captured them in Woodland, and thereby became the cause of their subsequent hard luck when they might otherwise have been living in clover on the fruits of their projected burglary of Mr. Carr's home. CHAPTER XIV.-On The Watch. "So it's you," said Snuggs in an ugly tom:, glaring at the young trader. Tom made no answer to this unfriendly salutation. "I thought we'd fixed you up so you wouldn't bother us again in a hurry, but it seems you are always bobbin' up when we don't want you around," continued the crook. "You needn't worry about me," replied Tom, coolly. "This meeting is as much a surprise to me as it is to you chaps." "Oh, is it?" sneered Snuggs. "Why were you spying arnund this door if you didn't know we was here?" he added suspiciously. "I wasn't spying. I saw a light ii\ the 'win dow of this house and I stopped to get a dipper of water.

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20 TRADING TOM "Don't lie now. You've drinkin' water in your van, haven't you?" "Yes, but the van is s ome little distance from here." "What are you doin' away from it at this hour?" "I was taking a walk." "Tell that to the marines. We don't believe you. You got on to u s s omehow and tracked us here to find out what we were up to." "That isn't so." "I say it is so. This house ain' t occupied except by u s for the present, and you wouldn't stop here for a drink o f water. You came here to spy on us, I tell you. There ain't no use of you denyin' it, for Barney and m e are dead on to you." "I have told you the truth, but if you won't believe me, it won't worry me any. I'll go back to the van and get a drink there," replied Tom, turning away from .them. "Hold on. We don't part company so easily as all that," said Snuggs reaching out and grabbing him by the arm. "This busines s has got t o be settle d between us. "Let me go," cried Tom, tugging to free him s elf. "Lay h old of him, Barney, and drag into the house," s aid Snuggs. The other crook obeyed, and Tom presently found himself a prisoner inside the tenantless shanty. "Now, you young spy, we're goin' to fix you for keep s this time," gritted Snuggs. "You' ve got into the hall.it of followin' us up, no matter wh ere we go, and it's goin to be stopped, d'ye under-. stand?" "I haven't followed you up," replied Tom. "That's only your imagination." "Imagination be hanged. We hadn't more'n got away from the jail in Exeter than we caught you watchin' us on the scow. If we hadn't nabbed you, you'd gone to the police and put them on our track. well, here it ain't much more'n two weeks afterward that we've caught you spy in' on u s at this shanty. If we hadn't detected you, there ain't no doubt you'd have told the first cop you met that we wm e in this neighborhood. As long a s you are travelin' in this part of the country we ain't safe. The next time you got on to us we mightn't be so lucky as to know it, and the first thing we knew we'd be jugged again. You're too smart for a trader, you ought to be a detective," said Snuggs sarcastically. .''I don't see any use of arguing with you, since you won't believe what I tell you," replied Tom. "No, there ain't no use We've cut our eye teeth, and we ain't such fools as to swallow the soft soap that comes out of your mouth, We've taken all the chances with you we intend to. Now we've got you orad to rignts, we'll fix you s o you won't have the chm i .=e to spy on us no more," said Snuggs, grimly. Tom thought thing looked seriou s for him, as he did not doubt that the two rascals, particularly Jim Snuggs, were capable of going to extremes in order to get square with him. So summonin g all his courage for a big effort, h e sudd enly wrenched himself free from the ia s cal s and sprang for the door. Tom's hand was on the knob before they recovered from the surprise of his unexpected move, then they rushed at him The boy yanked the door open just far to al-low him to get through, and. then slammed it in their faces. When they got outside Tom was in the road, making tracks for the van. They chased him for a short distance, but seeing that he outstripped them, they gave up the pursuit, seeing which the young trader slackened his gait. On reaching the van he told Chick about his encoun-ter with the crook s "Gee! What were dey goin' to do wit' you?" Slivers asked "I couldn't say, but they meant to do me up somehow. That Jim Snuggs is a wicked scoun drel. I believe he'd just as soon shoot me as not if he had a weapon." "How far did they chase you?" "About a third of the way here." "They know dat de van i s some.where down dis way, and maybe dey'll sneak down here bimeby and try to catch us off our guard." 0 "We'll have to keep watch to-night by turns," replied Tom. "It wouldn't be safe for us to take any chance s while those chaps are so near." "Dat's right. Which of us will keep de fust watch'!'' '' "I guess you'd better. If they make up their minds to try to steal a march on m e they p r ob ably won't do it for two or three hours yet. The'y may even wait till the early hours of the mo rning so as to make sure we're s ound asleep." "I t'ink de way for me to do i s to hide i q de bushes behmd de fence, and keep my e ye on d e road and de van. Den dey can't sneak up out I see dem." '-' "That's a good plan, Chick; but if you go tq s leep there is no saying what might happen." ''Don't you worry about me goin' to sleep. I kin keep awake, all right. You want to close doors wit' de chain, and dey couldn't get at you, anyway. Chick took the revolver, fully loaded once jumped out of the van and got out of sight behind the fence, while Tom partly closed the doo 1 s and s ecured them with the chain. When the tw.o rascals gave up the chase of Tom, they held .3 consultation. "He's the s lickest m onkey I e ver ran ac r os s,? growled Snuggs. :it "He is that," nodded Barney. "He 'll give us away at the next village, a s s ul'e a s thunder." m "We ought to try and prevent him. His van :is down the road a short distance. We'll go back if<> the house and wait an hour or two, then sneak down to where the van is and catch him off hfs guard." "We'll do it. Let me get my hands on him agai n and I'll bet you that will be the la s t of him. He's a thorn in our side, and must be remo ve d flft good and all." The y walked back to t he house and s pent thei next three hours playing cards and em p t ying t h e c ontents of a flask of whisky. It was midn ight when they left the house and took the i r "\\;t d own the roa d intent on wreaking v e ngean ce % n Tom Trevor. About the same time Tom r e li evE!d the watchful Chick, and the tough lad g o t into van, fastened the doors on the chain, turned i n o n the mattress and was soon fast a s l ee p To m crouched down in the bushes and k ept his eye s o n the road in the direction of the shanty a n d tJ_i.jl railroad. He had been there about twenty m inuM ,,

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TRADING TOM 21 when he saw t w o figures come in sight around the turn in the road. "I'll b e t that's the rascals," he muttered. "I'm to giv e them the surprise of their live s." ... It wasn' t very long before the men were so dose that Tom was sure of their identity, and then he prepared for action. As soon a s Snugg:, and Barney made out the form of the van drawn u,p cl o se to the fence, they left tne r oad and got the s a m e fie ld where Tom was. The young rader obs erved this flank move on their part and d ,rew further back into the shrubbery. They came on with due caution until they got opposite the van, when the y paused and recpnnoitered it. They now stood not quite a dozeH feet away from the concealed \\ratcher. "The door is partly open to give 'em air," sai d Snuggs "The y must be asleep by this time. Probably the y k ept watch for a while on the lookout f ,or us, and seein' we didn't show up, have figured that we won't trouble 'em to-ni'ght. Come, we'll take a squint into the van and s ee how things arc there." The crooks got over the fence and approached the wagon in a careful way. Snuggs first peered through the narrow ope .ning between the doors, but he couldn't make out much, for it was very dark in s ide. Then he put up his hands thinking to open the door s and discovered, to his disgust that they were secured by a chain which prevent e.ii them from opening more than an inch except at the bottom and top. He tried to reach the chain by putting hi s arm up under the doors as far as he c ould reach, but failed to touch it. Here was an obstacle they had not figured on, and it appeareJ to be in surmountable. "Hang it all, we're blocked," snarled Snuggs; with a smothered imprecation. "Ain't there any way of gettin' in at the front?" lisked Barney. can look, but I don't believe there is." ". They mounted to the wagon seat, saw the out line of the flap c overing the shelf on which Tom kept his stock of notions, and tried to pry it open with' a jack-lbife, but without the faintest result. They were at the end of their rope and did not kno w whal; to do to accomplish their purp6se. "S'pose we unhitch the two hosses and walk 'em '1'!, then he won't be able to move the van in the mornin'. That will give us plenty of time to get out of the neighborhood before he can put the police on to us,'' suggested Barney. !.:"That's a good idea, but I know a better one." i;e.id Snuggs, with a grim chuckle, as an idea occurred to him. "What is it?" asked Barney. "Start a fl.re under the van. That'll bring 'em eut, and then we can nab 'em:'' : "We'll do it. Funny I never thought of it. It's just the ticket." The ras cals got down and began to look around means to carry out their plan. There was a }tt of brush in the field and, gathering an armful ch, they carried it to the wagon and heaped it it. Tom at once surmised their object and nrepared to defeat it. o :tr CHAPTER XV.-A Wonderful Discovery. (I rl. The crooks went back to the field and brought B'<> more armfuls of brush Snuggs had pai:t of a newspaper in his pocket, and he made it into a kind of torch, the end of which he ignited with a match. He swung it around in the air till it burned.smartly and then walked to the van. A::. he put one hand o n the front wheel and bent down, Tom, who had crept up as near as he could behind the fence, took aim at his hand and fired. !'roar of pain came from Snuggs, and the burn ing newspaper fell to the grass Barney turned around, startled almost out of his wits. The rep ort of the revolver awakened Chick, and he look ed out of the van door. "Hands up, you rascals!" cried Tom, climbing over the fence. "I've got you where the hair is short. Back up against' that van, or there'll be trouble to burn for ygu chaps. "Blame you!" snarled Snuggs. "You've broken my wdst." "Serves you right. You were going to set fire to my van," replied Tom. "Well. I'll get square with you for this,'' gritted the crook "Back up against that wagon, Hogan, do you hear?" and Tom covered him with his revolver. .Barney concluded that it would be the part of wisdom to obey. As for Snuggs, his broken wrist pained him so much that he was hardly capable of thinking of anything else "Bring some rope, Chick,'' said Tom, "and tie these chaps." Barney was secured first without any great trouble, for he was cowed by the weapon in the young trader's hands. It was different with Snuggs. He resisted Chick's efforts to bind him in spite of Tom's threat to shoot him, so that latter was obliged to help his assistant out by laying hold of the rascal himself. Snuggs struggled desperately against them both, but Tom was strong and tough. He tripped the crook over on the grass and held him down while Chick bound his arms tightly to his side Both men were then tied to separate posts and left to pass the night they could. In the morning they were loaded mto the van hke so much merchandise and Tom told Chick to remain. with them and an eye upon them. The young trader cut out busi ness that mornjng and drove at his best speed to the town of Darien, some ten miles distant. In-9uiring. his way to. headquarters, he stopped m front of the bu1ldmg and reported to -the chief that he had two crooks in his van who had escaped from the Exeter jail about two weeks before. The police chief communicated with the police department of Exeter by 'phone and satisfied himself that the statement. made by the young trader was in every particular. He complimented Tom on his courage and shrewdness in catching the two crooks, and promised to report the facts of the case to the Exeter authorities, so that in case any reward had been offered for the apprehension of the rascals, he would be able to secure it. After getting their dinner at a restaurant, Tom and Chick proceeded on their way out into the rura1 districts once more. Before leaving town, however, Tom answered Miss Hutchings's letter telling her how glad he was to hear from her', and how happy the knowledge of her friendly regard for him made him feel. He gave her a graphic account of his third meeting. with the crooks, and detailed the way he had once more captured them, and handed them over to the Darien police. Tom had very grod

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22 TRADING TOM luck during the next three weeks, picking up many articles at a low figure which he subsequently disposed of at a handsome profit. He sold the bureau which he had modernized to a farmer's wife for $99, and she believed she had secured a bargain, for it was a handsome piece of mahogany, and had originally cost five or six times that price wh e n it was new. One day, the van was overtaken by a heavy thunder storm on a lone some stretch of road, but fortunately Tom was able to reach a deserted house with a barn behind that stood not far from the road before the storm actually burst in their vicinity. He drove the horses and van into the barn just in time to, escape the deluge of rain w hich came on the heels of the sweeping wind. While the storm was at its height, a thunderbolt struck the de serted building a few yards away with a crash that fairly stunned the boys for some moments. "Gee! Dat was de worst I was ever up against," said Chick, with a white face, for he had been pretty badly scared. Plucky as was Torn himself, the crash of the thunderbolt had a sobering effect on him. "Yes, it was pretty fierce," admitted the young trade1. "I can see that the whole of one end of the building i s down, as though sliced off with a huge knife." The storm continued about fifteen minutes more, and then the worst of it was over in that neighborhood. Tom, however, was in no hurry to make a start. After the lapse of another half hour, he and Chick sallied forth to look more closely at the ruins of the old house. The thunderbolt had torn a gaping rent in one end of the building, from roof to cellar, and Tom stepped inside the lower floor. As Tom gazed on the wreck, he noticed something bright shining up through a mass of demoralized brick. Curious to know what it was, he began to toss the bricks this way and that in an effort to get a better view of it. It wasn't long before he saw that it was a japanned tin box. Eager to see if it contained anything of value, he redoubled efforts until he finally reached and pulled it out of the ruins. It was locked, and not so very heavy. At that mo ment Chick, who had not ventured in for fear the building would fall upon him, mustered up cour age enough to follow his young boss. "What you got dere, Tom?" he asked, seeing the tin box in the young trader's hands. "A tin box, eh? Where did you find it?" "In the wreck of the chimney." "Dere might be somet'in' of value in it, what do you t'ink?" "I couldn't say, Chick, as it's locked." "Smash it open, den, wit' a bi:ick." "No, it's a nice box and I wouldn t like to spoil its usefulness. I might be able to open it with some of my tools "Maybe it's full of money," said Chick, gazing at it in a greedy 'way. "More likely it holds documents of no value except to the man who owned them." "Dat would be a shame. It ought to be fuU of money and den you'd be rich." "I don't expect to get rich as quick as all that, though I hope to be well off in the course of time." "Dere ain't no -doubt in my mind but you'll have loads of money one of dese days," said Chick, nodding his head in a sage way. "You've done 1nillhtv well on dis trin so far. and dere ain't no rea!lon dat I kin see why you shouldn't keep de good work up right along." "Well, the storm is over and I don't believe there is anything worth seeing in this old house, so we'll return to the barn and get the team out." Chick had no further curiosity to investigate the house, so he preceded Tom into the open air. As soon as the van was out of the barn and ready to proceed, Tom got a hammer and a small cold chisel and commenced operations on the tin box. Chick held it while Tom hammered at the lock. Tom's object was to break the lock without dis figuring the box any more than he could help. After pottering at it for some little time, he suc ceeded in smashing the lock. Putting down the tools, he pulled up the cover. Part of an old news paper was the first thing that met his eyes. Re moving 'that, he uttered a gasp of astonishment, and so did Chick. The tin box was crammed full of American bank notes, all of them compara-tively new, and shpwing very little use. CHAPTER XVI.--:-Conclusion. "Gee! Talk about de Count of Monte Cristo, he ain't in it wid' you," cried Chick. "Don't talk nonsense, Chick. There may not be over a couple of thousand dollars here when we count it." "A couple of t'ousand !" ejaculated the tough kid. "Go on, you're kiddin' me. Look at dat bunch of tens Dere must be a t'ousand in dat alone." "Maybe they're not all tens." "Dat's right. Der might be some twenties, and fifties, and hundreds in it, and den dere'd be more'n a t'ousand in de bunch. Go ahead and count de treasure. I want to know how much you're wort'. If you t'ink dere's too much for you to handle, den you kin turn what you don't want over to me, and I'll open a bank somewhere, and buy an automobile, a steam yacht, a big house, and a few udder t'ings like dat. Oh, mamma Wouldn't I be a high roller! Oh, no; of course not," and Chick grinned all over his tough, freckled face. Tom, who was just as desirous as Chick to know how much money there was in the tin. box, pro ceeded to count it slowly and carefully. One thousand was soon reached and the pile seemed scarcely diminished. "Bet you a nickel dere's twenty thousand dere," -said Chick, with a knowing expression. "I'll take you, Chick." "Make it a dime." "You seem confident of winning?" "Bet you life I am. Do you raise de ante?" "Sure. The bet is a dime, and you're going to lose." "Bet you another dime dat I don't lose," said Chick promptly. "Say, do you want to go broke?" laughed Tom, laying the second thousand aside. "Don't you wony about me goin' broke I've got more money in my jeans dan you t'ink. Is data bet, too?" "No, I don't want to rob you." "Aw, where's you r sportin' blood? C o m e up wit' your ten like a little man." "There it is. Now give me a rest till I get through counting." There was still a number of bills _of large de-

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TRADING TOM 23 nomination in the box when Tom announced the twentieth thousand and swept the into his pocket. Altogether, Tom's find footed up close on to $30,000. "Nobody kin say you ain't rich now," said Chick. "But this money doesn't belong to me, replied Tom. -_; "It don't? Who else does it belong to, den?" "The person who owns this property." "What you talkin' about? You found it, and :findin's is keepings." Tom didn't care to argue the matter, so he stowed the box of money carefully away in the wagon and drove on up the road. About fiUndown they saw a farmhouse in the near distance and Tom made his way there. He told the woman he'd like to make a trade in notions for supper for himself and his companion. The woman jumped at the offer and told them to sit right down at the table, as the meal was all ready to b e served up. During the supper Tom asked for information about t,he owners of the old house down the road. "Nobody owns the place. It is to be sold for unpaid taxes soon," said the woman's husband. "The owner died ten years ago and left no relatives, so there was no one to claim the property." Chick grinned at Tom, as much as to say, findings is keepings in this case sure. After the meal Tom paid the woman for their supper in ribbons, thread, and such things, w hich she wanted. H e also traded some tinwa1e for a batch of papers and old clothes. Then he obtained permission to camp _out in the field near the house all night. .Next morning he and Chkk contin. ued on their route. "I'm satisfied now that I have a good right to the money in the tin box," he said to his com panio11, "and so I'm going to keep it and give up the trading business for something that has a future in it. I have an idea I'll locate in Exeter, and I hope you'll stick to me just the same." "Bet your life I will I wouldn't lose you for not'in'," replied Chick, in an earnest tone. Sci they went on, Tom outlining his plans for getting on in the world and Chick listened eagerly to all he said. They reached a small city two days later and there Tom found two letters await-ing him at the post-office. One was from Alice 'Hutchings, and the other was from the police department of Exeter notifying him to appear in town on a certain near date to testify against Jim Snuggs and Barney Hogan. Tom then decided to sell his outfit and give up his trade-mark of "Tradin'g Tom" for good and all, though it wa:;; cnot without some regret that he relinquished the business in which he had found both pleasure and profit. He selected Exeter as the scene of his future efforts for two reasons-it was a th1iving little town for one thing, and for another, Alice Hutch ::.ings lived there, and he wanted to be within visit ng distance of her. So next day he advertised his van and horses for sale, and soon found a pxchaser who wanted to use the outfit for the excpress business. As soon as the bargain was con cluded, and the money paid over, Tom and Chick :Jtook a train back to Exeter. On their arrival they put up at a secon d-class hotel, a very re house. Both boys were fitted out in new clothe s, and would scarcely have been recognized by anyone who had known them as Trading. Tom and his assistant. Tom called first on the police anrl then paid a visit t o Alic e Hutchings who was delighted to see him again. He told her about the "money he had found, and how it was his intention to stay at Exeter and make :.he town his future scene of action. "I will introduce you to my father," she said, happy that Tom was going to remain in Exeter, "and you can talk with him about your plans. He will advise and help you all he can to oblige me." A week later the trial of the two crooks came off, and they were easily convicted. They got the limit, and. were sent to the State p1ison at once, where they still are doing out their time. Mr. Hutchings after a long and confidential talk with Tom, to whom he took an immediate fancy, offere
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24 FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY Charlie Cooper's Curves CHAPTE R x111 or THE STAR PLAYER OF THE UNKNOWN NINE By Gaston Garne lA Serial Story.) CH APTER XII.-( continued) H e walked back to the net that was drawn across the front of the grand-stand and spoke to his wife and sister-in-law. The faces of both were very pale, b u t there was a gleam of hope in the bright eyes of Mar jorie. "Charlie will b e here, Fred," she said assur ingly. "It can't be possible that anything seri ous has happened to him. What time is it now?" "Eight m inutes to three," was the reply. "They wan t the game started right on time, too I don't know what to do. Like you, I feel that it can't be possible that anything serious has ha:ppened to the boy, but what detains him, if that 1s not the case?" "He will be here." But it was plain that the girl hardl y meant it. S he was trying to make herself believe it. Mrs. Roberti:; said nothin g It was plain that she had given the b oy up as gone, though one look at her face would have told that. Pretty soon the home team came in from their practice. Harry Hodge was throwing the ball to Ben Handy now, for he had decided to go in and pitch and do the best he could A colored man appeared with a pail of white wash and a brush and proceeded to whiten the home plate so it could be seen plainly by the pitcher. The Yonkers manager came up to Roberts, and they had a talk for fully five minutes. Then the crowd grew impatient. "Play ball! Play ball!" came from all sides, and then a series of cat-calls sounded Roberts felt duty-bound to tell the nine to go ahead. They were to be first at the bat. The.brand-new balls were tossed to the umpire, and taking one from the pasteboard box, he toss ed it to the pitcher. "Play ball!" he cried out loud enough for every one to hear. Ben Handy was first at the bat and he stepped up, looking as though he was going to a funeral. As the first ball was thrown by the pitcher a man with blond whiskers and wearing eyeglasses arose from one of the front seats in the grand stand and looked squarely at Roberts. "I'll wager a thousand dollars that Yonkers wins the game!" the man exclaimed, flashing a roll of bills. Roberts hesitated. "Take the bet, Mr. Roberts; I am here!" As the words rang out Charlie Cooper, attired in his uniform, appeared on the SCE;ne. Ben Spikes Turns Up At the Right Time At the very moment that B ill Butts hurled Charlie Cooper i n to the river a schooner loaded with b rick appeared around a dock a hundred yards from the spo t where the b oy went down The catboat sped on like a thin g of life, the vii. lain steering her never once l ooki n g behind. It was q uite close to the s hore where Charlie had been thrown overboard to what seemed to be certain death, b u t the chann el ran in there, so the water was very deep a n d the tide strong. The brick schooner was breastin g the tide up the river, and, though the wind was strong and fair, was making rather slow progress. Bill B utts thought he had not been seen by moral eyes when he did his murderous work, but he was mistaken. A man at the bow of the schooner had just caught a glimpse of the act, and as the prow of the vessel rounded the dock he leaned over and looked ahead into the water. Then it was that he saw a human head rise above the surface and saw a struggling form. H e thought it strange that the person should struggle so, b u t he had seen just enough to make him thin k that his hands were tied. It was Charlie he saw, of course. The boy was struggling desperatel y to keep his head above the water. It occurred to him, as frightened as he was, to try and float. H e lay flat upon his back, and being an excel le n t swimmer, he managed to do this. The tide was bearing him swiftly toward the approaching schooner, though he had not seen the craft as yet. f S u ddenly he heard a splash not far from him and the next minute a voice exclaimed: "Stick it out, boy! I'll soon be there!" A thrill shot through the boy's frame. The voice sounded very familiar to him, but it was not that of Bill Butts, that was quite certain. But, anyhow, he was going to be saved! 1 "I'll pitch the game against Yonkers, after was the thought that flashed through his mind. Though it was but a minute or two, it seemed fifty times longer before he felt a hand touch him. "Yer are tied, hey?" said the voice of his res.r cuer. "Well, keep cool an' I'll soon fix y e r all right." The man who had leaped from the s ch ooner t
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FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY 25 But he came up quick enough, and then they found the s choon e r right alongside them. "Le t m e have your knife, Ben," said Charlie: "I w ant to cut the rope that i s tied around my ankles "Oh, I'll do that," was the retort. "Jest kick up, s o I k i n git hold of 'em." The rope had hardly been severed when Charlie was able to catch hold of the forechains of the s chooner. The vessel was low down in the Wl}ter from the wav sh e was load e d, and it was eMy fo r the boy to reach the chains with his band. In spite of what he had gone through, he was as strong and agile a s a young lion, and he was up out of the water and assisting Ben Spikes in less than a minute. "How in thunder did you git in ther water, iboy?" called out the man at the wheel, who was the only one on deck, as Charlie walked aft with his rescuer. "A scoundrel threw me in," was the reply. "There goes the boat I was thrown from, way up the river there, close to the opposite shore." The young ball-tosser pointed out the catboat, though there were plenty of boats of a similar style on the river near Yonkers. "That's ther one!" exclaimed Ben Spikes. "Chucked you overboard, you say?" questioned the captain, for it was he who was steering the. boat. "Yes, he tied my hands and ankles first." The man's eyes stuck out when he heard this. Charlie thought he had better tell all about it, and he did so. The eyes of Ben Spikes gli stened as he heard how the boy had b e en decoyed to the water front and then knocked into the boat and carried out into the river to be drowned. "Who do ye1 think is at ther bottom of it, Charlie?" he asked hoarse ly. "Do yer think it's George Orris?" He might have it in fur yer 'cause yer didn't let him kill me that night in the woods near your home." "It is quite likely that he is at the bottom of it. That is what my employer thinks." "Who is your employer, Charlie-what are yer
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26 FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY the Yonkers team were in the field at practice. The boy was forced to pay his way in, since the gate tender did not know him. He hurried along through the crowd and climbed over the rail and got into the dressingroom without being recognized by anyone. Then it occurred to him to give them a surprise. Charlie's uniform was right there, for the boys had brought his grip along, in hopes that he would turn up at the last minute. He was not long in getting into the uniform. But as quick as he was, he saw that the game was starting when he came out of the dressingroom. He cast a swift glance around, and seeing Fred Roberts i:.tanding behind the catcher, he made a beeline for him. He got there just in time to hear the offer of the wager and to utter the words recorded at the close of our last chapter. CHAPTER XIV. Charlie In His Old Form. "Hurrah!" cried Fred Roberts, as he suddenly found the use of his tongue. Then he caught the boy about the neck and gave him a squeeze. The game was stopped instantly, for when the boys of the Unknown nine shouted out that their pitcher had turned up at the last minute the umpire held the ball and called time. "You had better take the bet, Mr. Roberts,'' said Charlie. "I am ready to play ball. I haven't time to tell you what happened to me just now, but I will before the game is over." "All right,'' said the delighted manager, and then he drew a roll of bills from his pocket and turned to make the wager with the man with the blond beard and eyeglas s es. But the fellow was not to be found. "He left all of a sudden when you grabbe d the young fellow around the neck,'' explained one of the spectators. "I never saw a fellow get out of sight so quickly." Roberts looked -around and found a policeman standing right at the foot of the grand-stand. "Did you see the man who offered to bet a thousand dollars on the he asked. "Yes,'' was the reply. "But I didn't see where he went." "Well, go and find him! He is a W
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FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY 27 Fame and F o r tune W e e k l y NEW YORK, DECEMBER 31, 1926 TERMS T O Biagle Copies ... Postage 1''ree 8 ce11t1 ,;>ne Copy 'l'hree Months....... $1.00 One t:opy :Six Months.......... 2.00 IOne Copy One Year ............. 4.00 Canada, $4.50; Foreign, $5.00. HOW TO SEND .MO.NEY-At our nsk send P. o. Money Order, Check or Registered Letter; fn any other way ure at your risk. We accept l'ostage Btamps the same as Wilen sending s1!ver tae Coin In a separate piece or paper to avoid cutt1011 the envelope. Write your name and addres11 plalnlr. Address letters to WESTBURY PUBLISHING CO Inc. 168 W. 23rd St., N. Y. C. JrBBD KNIGHT, Prea. and Tr. 11. "'. l!llABll, Vlee-Pree aad llec. I N TER ES TING ARTICLES 8 DEER WALK INTO TOWN .AND ARE 'Deer-hunting is p1etty good m the town hmits Of French Gulch, Redding, Cal. James Leas killed two bucks in the town, and Charles C. Fox, merchant, killed a third buck also inside the town. SAWDUST'S CHARM BRINGS THEM BACK The big top still ca,lls Maude and F'ra_nk well, trapeze performers who were senousl.Y in jured in Chicago when they fell 50 feet durmg a tjrcus performance. After several weeks in the hospital they have aiinounced that they are going back to try it again. TO SA VE CHICKENS FROM CROWS In his monthly news service for August, Edw11.rd Howe Fo1bush, of for :Massachusetts, reports a simple. deyice for protecting chickens from cr.ows, ;vh1ch is said by an observer to have been tried with excellent results. A few bricks were soaked in kerosene and then placed on the chicken range, about four or bticks to the acre. The cro"'.s a:rmd tfiese bricks. If there is anythmg m this it might be tried for a cornfield. rlbME FOR CONVALESCENT HORSES IN GERMANY care and kindness with which the Germans dumb animals are well known. .In many town s especially in south Germany, dnvers are at the foot of the long hills to show consideration for their horses by taking one or two extra horses to help them pull their load up the hill. A home for convalescent horses has been bqilt at Frankenberg, Saxony, to be used by the hdtse s belonging to the municipality. Whenever a new horse arrives at this haven of re.:(uge, data concerning the animal are taken d&Wii and the animal properly listed. Clean the right kind of feed, thorough inspectiMI and constant care are helping to make this home of genuine service to the city, and a real boom to dozens of faithful horses. LORD GREY ADVISES BRITISH TO KEEP THEIR WALKING LEGS "Keep your legs," was the advice Viscount Grey of F'allodon recently gave to the boys of Epsom College. He warned them against giving up walking and riding bicycles because the means of communication have been so much im proved, and said even a middle -aged man is bet ter for walking twenty miles a day or riding fifty on a wheel. Viscount Grey is doubtful whether all the modern mechanical contrivances which have be come part of everyday life are of benefit to hu manity and warned his audience .against neglect ing their minds and bodies because mechanical genius has devised ways of amusing persons without requiring them to make any effort Clll their own behalf. LAUGHS "I hear you have left Stingo & Co." "Yes; I'm in business for myself now." "What are you doing?" "Looking for another job." Wife-Richard, I wish you wpuld take care of baby for an hour or two. I am going to have a tooth pulled. Husband-See here, dearie, y6u mind the baby, and I'll go and get a couple of teeth pulled. Brushe-Who is that solemn-looking individ ual? Penn-That's Groves. He writes patent Jlledicine ads. He can describe a disease so that the healthiest man alive will think he has got it. Clarissa-Our minister is so good that he won't even perform a marriage ceremony. Melissa What's that got to do with his being good? Clar issa-He says his conscience won't let him per ticipate in any game of chance. Mrs. Bacon-Who was that man you were bowing and smiling so to at the gate just now? Mr. Bacon-Oh, that's the installment man. He's just been taking the piano away from next door, and I was thanking him. A stranger entered the postoffice the other day, and, approaching the ladies' general delivery win dow, said: "Any letters for John Drake?" "Next window, Mr. Drake," replied the polite attendant "This window is for ducks only." Mrs. Flatbush-So your husband didn't go to the war? Mrs. Bensonhurst-No, he didn't. "What was the matter? Was he afraid?" "Yes, that was the trouble. If he went he was afraid he'd just make a slaughterhouse of the battlefield." A small boy was reciting in a geography class. The teacher was trying to teach him the points of the compass. She exclaimed: "On your riirht is the east, your left the west, and in front of you is the north. Now, what is behind you?" The boy studied for a moment, then puckered up hb face and bawled: "I know it! I tol
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28 FAME AND F ORTUNE WEEKLY THE WORTH MYSTERY Ned Hastings was a clerk in the Brainford Bank and a young man who commanded the res pect and confidence of all knew him. In fact, no one higher in the .:stimation uf the community than the young cle rk. Ned was well liked by : 1is ass ociate s at the bank, and even the surly old janitor, who was not wont to speak well of any one, had a good word for Ned. The young man's friends con s idered him a very lucky fellow, too, for it was understnod that he was engaged to the 1. 1eire s s, Mabel Worth, whose uncle, Richard Worth, was the heavie s t stockholder in the bank, and a reputed millionaire. Pretty Mabel was an orphan, but her Uncle Richard, who was a childless old bachelor, had adopted her, and meant to her all his fortune. The rumored engagement of Ned Hastings and Mabel Worth was a correct report. The young people had loved each other for a long time, and they had plighted their troth with the full con sent of Mabel' s Uncle Richard. But, strange to say, Ned Hastings and Richard Worth had never met. This circum stance is easily explained. Richard Worth had been absent in Europe five years and it was during his absence that Ned and Mabel had m e t and loved. Correspondents had, however, given Richard Worth s uch an excellent account of Ned, that when the young man, by letter, requested the permission of the millionaire to addres3 his love suit to Mabel hi s consent was given. Richard Worth was very eccentric as well a s very rich, and he had never had a picture taken in hi s life. So, not onry had Ned neve1 seen the old gentleman in person, but he had 11ot even seen a photograph of him. The time for the marriage of Mabel and Ned had been set, and Mr. Worth had written them from Paris that he should return. to Brainford in time to be present at the wedding. Later a cable message from her uncle informed Mabel that he would sail for New York on the Chanc e llor, a first-class transatlantic steamer of a popular line. Mabel went to New York to meet the steamer, accompanied by an old gentleman who had formetly been Mr. Worth's bu s ines s partner. But the Chanc e llo r had arrived the day before, and inquiry elicited the information that the s ame day rnchard Worth had taken the evening train for Brainford. Then the mys te1y began. Richard Worth had not reached hi s de stination. On the contrary, it seemed that he had mysteriously di sappeared. Mabel and Richa r d Worth's old business partner were filled with con sternation when this became known to them. They imagined at once that the mi ssing man might have met with foul play, for the captain of the steamer, who was a friend of the old mil lionaire, stated that Mr. Worth had confid e d the fact to him that he carried a s plendid collection of mo s t valuable diamonds, which he had obtained in Europe, on his person jn a money-belt. Mabel employed the best detectives to s eai:ch for the missing man, and then she and Mr. Worth's old friend returned to Brainford. Almost the first person to welcome Mabel, be side s Ned Hastings, was one Ralph Warwick, an old suitor of the maiden, whom she had rejected a year before, and who stated that he had jU$t returned from California. Ralph Warwick seemed inclined to renew his suit for the hand of Mabel, and as he left her on the evening of he1 return from New York, and saw that Ned Hastings, who, with himself, had met the young lady at the depot, was indeed, as he had already heard, hi s s uccessful suitor, Ralph's face assumed a strange expression as he muttered to himself: "This is fate playing into my hands for as sure as the heavens stand, Ned Hastings was the man I saw in the gully that night." Some days elapse'd, and the detective s employed by Mabel traced Richard Worth from a hotel in New Yo1k City to a train bound for Brainford. But there the trail ended. Several days later, however, some hunters found the body of the mis sing ;nan in a gull;y where the train had s topped for a supply of water for the engine. Richard Worth had been murdered and robbed. It was the theorv of the officers that the victim had been stabbed on the platform of the car and hurled off by the a ssass in s who then followed him, robbed the body and dragged it into the gully. Some months before, upon arising one morning, Ned Hastings experienced a singular s en sation of weariness, for which he could not account, for he had retired early, and had not fatigued him-self the preceding day. r A s he was dressing, he found, to his astonishment, that his boots, which he had neatly poli shed jus t before retir.ing for the .1ight, were wet, apd stained with mud. More than this, t a kiiig up coat he had worn the day before, he found that tit was wet, and als o hi s hat. The day before had been cloudle s s, but to the window and looking out, Ned saw during the night a heavy rain had fallen. He n recollection of leaving hi s room t $ e precedmg mght, but now he sank into a chair and the conviction that he mus t have done forced itself upon his mind. "Good heaven s I must have walked in 'IJ." sleep! thought Ned. !W The young bank clerk placed himself in tl\e hands of a physician, and thereafter had no fU.}:-. ther trouble of that nature, and thinking him self completely cured, he soon cea s ed to thiy k about the matter. But on the morning following the day Mab e l Worth went to the city to m eet her uncle Ned Hastings awoke with .a s en s e of aga in, for which there s eemed to be no rea s on A s on the preceding occasion, the c o nditfon of his wearing apparel told the s tory. Again }}e had walked in hi s s l e ep. :J Then man h ow had been s mce his last sleep-walkm:; experi ew::e, and s o fixed that date a s well a s the p resent qpe in hi s mind. His last experience was o n ber 3. He tried to se e if he could rem em er where he had been in hi s s leep, but h e was
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FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY 29 "The body of Richar d Worth was brought to Brainford and Ned was there with Mabel when the rema i n s arr ived. The betrothed lo vers en tered the dark e n e d parlor to look upon the fac e o f the dead. When N e d saw the fac e of the a ead man h e starte d back with an exclamation of alar m a n d astonishment, as he cried: .: "Merciful h eavens It i s the face of my t erri ble dream!" And suddenly all that dreadful '{is i o n w hi c h he had prev iou sly tried to r e ca ll, in vain r u s h e d b a ck upon him in all its horror and awful di stinctness. "It w a s not a dream, but an actual r eality! T.he m e mo r y of what o ccurred during the time I ll!St walke d in my s l eep has come back to me! "What is it that s o agitates you, Ned, de ar?" a s k e d Mabe l. "I-I thought of on e whom I u s ed to know wben I s a w you r dead uncle's face," faltered Ned. Leaving Mabel perplexed at his strange be havior, Ned e x cu s ed himself and left the hou se. He reached his room in a state of mind bo rdering on insanity. He saw, a s vividly a s possible, the scene where the body of Richard Worth had been found, and which had since been de scribed to him He saw the murder ed man and another shadowy form, and he saw himself there be s ide the dead The a wful thought entered his mind that dur ing his sonambulistic state he had killed Richard Worth. He recollected now-that be s ides the belt of diamond s Mabel had told him that a diamond cros s with his name el)graved on th e back, which ber uncle always. wore on his neck scarf, was missing, and h e knew that he had s een that diamond cro s s on the night of November 4 "Ned owned a little ca sket of f.:>regn wood, which had been his mother's and in which he kept such article s a s he particularly treasured. Tremblingly he unlocke d it. For a moment he could not find courage to rais e the lid, dreading what m ight find the re. But at las t h e op ened it. The diamond cros s was the first object to meet his gaze Hastily he turned the rrvss over, and tflere on the back he saw the name, "Richard Worth." 'At that moment there came a gentle tap on the door, and Mabel entered. Ned uttered a startled cry, and tried to clo s e the casket, but in hj,s haste to ff'?nceal the diamond cross he over tttrned the casket and the jewels fell at the feet 9k his promised bride. rt 'My uncle' s diamond cross! How came it here? Speak, Edward, speak!" she cried. '"Mabel, I will tell you all!" he concluded, Mabel said: "How can such a 'thing b e?" Did she doubt his truthfulness? He could scarcely tell. They :were at the window, and at that moment he saw a man passing on the oppo. s ide of the There was something strangely familiar in the man's appearance. Then, like a fl.ash, the truth dawned upon him. is the very man I saw beside your mur ed uncle in the gully!" exclaimed Ned, point-1n he man turned his head while the eyes of the lo :ers were yet upon him, and both saw his face. :.Q'Ralph Warwick!" ex.claimed Mabel. "l will prove my innocense to dearest, by convicting Ralph Warwick. Now I go to follow him. Do not lose faith in me, come what may," said Ned. A s he spoke he darted from the room. Ralph Warwick was still in sight. Stealthily Ned followed Warwick until he saw him enter the dwelling of a clairvoyant who enjoyed con sidera ble celebrity. Ned remained watching the hou s e until Warwick reappearel. Then h e entered. The clairvoyant was under obligation s to Ned, and he fold the young man that War wick was a f.rm believer in his power s and frequently called to consult him. In conclusion the clairvoyant said: "He i s coming again tonight. He has made an appointment with me, and I am to go into a trance, as u sual, and iead the future for him." "I will give you fifty dollars to allow me to impersonate you tonight when \Varwick returns said Ned. The clairvoyant agreed, and that evening, made up exactly like him, Ned was there when War wick arrived, and in an adjoining room he had Mabel and two detective s concealed, s o that they could overhear all. "Tell me what I shall do to make sure a certain secret of mine, which I wish to guard abov e all things, may not be found out?" a s ked Warwick, when Ned seemed to be in a trance. "Remove the jewels from the place where you have hidden them. Secrete the diamond s somewhere else, and then leave the place," replied Ned promptly. "Your power i s wonderful! Diamonds! Ah! you hit it at once!" muttered Warwick. Soon after that, when the "clairvoyant" came out of hi s trance, Warwick left the hou s e, fol lowed by Ned and the detective s Warwick led them into the grounds of a de serted mans ion There he secured a spade and went to the foot of a tree, near a broken mar1:.le pedestal. Throwing off his coat, Warwick began to dig. Ned and the t w o officers crept near and con cealed from view of the suspect. Pres ently Warwick -unearthed a box of s ome size. A s he knelt to lift it out of the hole he had excavated, Ned and the officer s were upon him, and the handcuffs were placed on his wris t s Then the box was opened, and in it was found a blood-stained overcoat, which was afterward identified as belonging to Warwick, and Richard Worth's belt of jewel s Warwick was conveyed to prison and a few days J:e confessed his guilt. 'He had met the m1ll1ona1re on the train, and as they were both on the platform of one of the coache s at the water station, he had stabbed the old man. and thr?w_n him off, following himself and r.obbmg his victim. Warwick had seen Ned at the scene of the murder, and decided, from his. con duct! that he was walking i:i his sleep. The as sassm had seen Ned pick up the diamond cross and when he learned that the young man Mabel's lover he decided to direct s uspicion to him, hoping that he might thus remove a rival due time WarWick paid the penalty of 0his cnme,. and later on Ned and Mabel became man and wife. : Though years have since the terrible night of. the third, Ned has never -since walked m his sleep.

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a o ; FAME'AND FORTUNE WEEKLY CU RRENT NEWS NEW 22-MILE PIPE The California town of Vallejo is now being supplied with .water .from a distant .reservoir through a one-piece pipe twenty-two miles long. The parts of this remarkable pipe, says Science Monthly, were made into one piece by are welding instead .of riveting. 676 AUTO DEATHS IN 4 WEEKS ENDING NOV. 6 SET NEW RECORD Deaths due to automobile operations in the seventy-eight larger cities .of the United States during the four weeks ending Nov. 6 were 676, a total greater than those for any like period since the Commerce Department began compiling automobile fatalities, early in 1925. During the same period a year ago the deaths were 612, and in four weeks ending Oct. 9, 1926, they were 656 2 000 STUDENTS WITH MONOCLES STARTLE AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN It took all Sir Austen Chambedain's charac teristic imperturbability to remain serious when at the ceremony of his installation as Lord Rector of Glasgow University recently he was faced by 2 000 boy and girl students, all wearing monocles lllce himself, singing in unison: "Oh, Austen, Dear, We Love You So!" Like his famous father, Joseph, Britain's Foreign Secretary cannot very well be imagined without his single eyeglass, and there were loud protests from the students when he changed it for horn-rim spectacles to sign the document appointing him to his new dignity. TWO DEER SWIM TO SAFETY AS DOGS FIGHT ON LAKE'S SHORE Automobiles passing Croton Lake, in noi;th ern part
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FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY NEWS FROM EVERYWHERE IS IT HOT ABOVE? Is it b oiling hot, far above the cloud s ? J. F. Whipple, British meteorologi st, and Prof. F. A. Lindemann of Oxford, believe that recent exp eri ments in France have indicated that if we could go thirty miles up into the atmosphere we would find a t;emperature of 220 degr. e es abov e z ero, in Sl5ead o f the traditional freezing 1 NOVEL SCHOJL :i Ther e are grammar school s and night s chool s and trade s chool s and dete c t ive s cho o l s but the ifewe s t and stranges t o f all has Leen op ened recently in Needham, Mass It is a whooping Jough s chool, and is for the b e nefit of children -who have s uffici ently r e cov ered from the di seas e tb continue their studies b ... t who must remain aY.,ay from s chool in Jrder to protect the other pupils. This s p e cial scho c is h eld in the porta b)e building on the hospital grounds. j FOR -vHAT IT IS WORTH Whe n s ci e ntific men talk about 4 5 millio y ears "more o r le ss," we are qi;.ite confident a f e w milli o n s make iittle diff e r e n ce. Of course it would never do to say 44 million s H o w e v er, if ypu a r e go ing to guess it's as ,,_i: to guess in large numbe r s Prof es sor Loomi s of Amhers t has w ritte n a book on the H o r s e in which, a c 09rding to the report we have s ee n, it i s said t,ha t "the histor y of the horse i s p r qbably the mos t c o mpl e t ely known of any of the anima l s." He t r a ces it b a ck 4 5 ,000,0 0 0 years, "more or l ess ," w:,hen its far-off a ncestor was no larger than a tPx terrier, with four t oes on its front feet and three on its hind feet. Fortuna t e ly a ll thes e toes have merged into on e d u ring the lon g p eriod of develo pment. MYSTERY OF DIET Who can answer the mys t ery of the splendid phy sica l d e v e l opment o f the a nc ient H a waiians ? Rec ent investigatio n s h a v e s h own the y h a d none of thes e three impo rtant food s : milk, whole wheat and cod liver oil-ye t the y gre w to magnificant stature. 0Whatever the di e t was it mus t have cons ometh'.n g we clo not u se, something ve r y tent. We kno w that their diet included 1 3 8 hds of e dible fis h, thirty-one fowl s breadfruit, ferns bananas, yams taro, poi, p andanus and variou s types of seaweed, but which one (if it was only one) played the role of the all-impo rtant fo o d, we do n o t know. \r 'rl DRIED ORANGE JUICE tJ 1ln compact little packages '!f drie d o:cange Juice will probably fo r m an essential part of ships supplie s. It i s well known that citrus fnJits are rich in vitamin C which has the prop e.n&y of preventing scurvy, a diseas e from whic h sailors on long voyage s u s ed to suffer greatly in 1ears pas t Orange JU!Ce can be d r ied and still retain its h ealth-giving vitamins after long period s of time, r ecent experiments have s h ow n. A mixture of orange juice and s u g a r when remove d from a partial vacuum where it had been left for five y ears still retaine d its power to prevent scurvy in guinea pigs li v in g on a diet othe r wise fre e from vitamin C $5 00 000,000 ANIMAL FUND PROVIDED IN,WILL E stablishment of a $!>"0,000, 0 00 trus t fund to be used in the p r os e cution of P e r s on s crue l to ani m a l s and for the pr;:it ertion of animals and p;ame in all oarts of the world i s provid e d for in thi:! will of Stacy Anson Ransom, s cienti st, who di e d r e c ently. The fund w o uld be from the in of $40,000 which i s provided in the will on file in Probate Court at Was hington. Half of the inc o me would be u < ed to p r otect animals and game and the r P m::tind e r would be accumulated an l inves t e d unti l it reaches $500,000,000. others b e que s t s were made and a $50 O O
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OUR HAND BOOKS Use ful Instructi ve, a n d Amusing. T hey c ontain Val u able I n for mation on A l inost Every Subject No. 42. THE BOYS OF NEW YORK STUl\IP a varied assortment of stum1> speeches, XPgro. Dutch nnd Irish. Also end men's jokes. No. 44. HOW TO WRITE JN AN ALBUJll.-.A. grand collec1 ion of Album Verses suitable for any time and occasion: embracing Lines of Lo,e, Affection, Sentiment, Humor. Respect, and Condolence; also Verses Suitable for Valentines and \Vecldings. No. 52. HO'V TO PJ,AY CARDS.A complete and handy littlP book. givinl" thP rules and full clirPctions '"'r pln.yinrr FnPhrP. C!rihbfl'tt-ev1ryhnrlv anrl anvhnclv you wii;:h to 'vrite to. No. 55. HOW TO COJ,LECT STAJIIPS AND COINS.Containing ,alnnhle information regarding the collecting 11nrl arranging of stamps and coins. Handsomely illustra tcd. No. 57. HOW TO Jl[AKE J\lUSif'AJ, IN::;TRUJIIY.NTS -Full directions how to make a Banjo, Violin, Zither, Aeolian JI Hrp Xylophnt use d in ancient or modern times. Profusely illustrated. No. 58. HOW TO BE A DETECTIVE.-By Olcl King Brady, the w e ll-known detectin'. In which h e lays down yaluable rules fOr beginners. and a lso relates some adventures of well-known owlinir cluhs. No. 61. HOW TO lllAKE ET,ECTRTC'AL JIIACHTNES. -Containing full directions for making E'lectrical maf'hinPs. in worked by e lectricity. By R. A. Bennett. Fully illnstrPted. No. 67. HOW TO no ELJ collPction of instructive and highly amusing electrical tricks, together with illustrations. By A. Anderson. No. 69. now TO DO SI,EIGHT-OF-HAND.-Contninin(( ov<>r fifty of thP lntPst and bet tricks userl by mn gicians. Also containing the secret of second sight. l!'ully illustnHecl. No. 72 HOW TO DO STXTY TRICKS WITH CAUDS. -Embrn cing nil of the latest ancl most deceptive carrl lricks with illustrations. No. 7R. HOW TO J)O TRICKS WITH NUl\ffiERS. Showing rnany curious tricks with figures and the magic of numbers. Ry A. Anderson. Fully illustrated. No. 74. HOW TO WRTTE J,ETTERS CORUECTJ,Y. Containing full instructions for writing letter s on almost any suhject; also rul cluties r DPxtor's New Boy; or, A Young Innocent In Wnll StrC'C't 1103 From Mill to l\Iillions; or, The Poor Boy Who Became a Steel Mngnate. 1104 flam" Sn